Peering behind the mask: The roles of reactance and gender in the relationship between self-esteem and interpersonal problems

Abstract

Objective: When a client feels a threat to their freedom or autonomy as a result of external feedback, they can act out and respond in maladaptive ways. This state—referred to as reactance—has potential ramifications on interpersonal functioning. However, the underlying factors exacerbating this response including self-esteem and gender are yet to be extensively explored in a clinical sample. The present study examined whether verbal and/or behavioural reactance mediate the relationship between self-esteem and interpersonal problems and if this mediational relationship differs between men and women. Method: Patients with personality dysfunction (N = 136) completed pretreatment assessments of..