Peer Emotional Support and Psychological Wellbeing: Moderating Role of Rejection Sensitivity

The present study examined peer emotional support, rejection sensitivity, and psychological wellbeing among 299 Indian university students (M age = 21.6 years, SD = 1.93). A cross-sectional design was used. The Friends Subscale of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), the Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire (RSQ), and Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Wellbeing Short Form were administered. Spearman’s correlation and moderation analysis were employed. Peer emotional support was not significantly associated with wellbeing (rho = -.045, p = .437). Contrary to expectations, rejection sensitivity positively predicted wellbeing (rho = .136, p = .019). A strong negative correlation emerged between peer support and rejection sensitivity (rho = -.504, p < .001). The moderation interaction was nonsignificant. Findings challenge assumptions about peer support’s direct role in wellbeing and highlight rejection sensitivity as a contextually complex variable. Implications for campus mental health are discussed