Abstract

Anger is a universal human emotion. If we suppress or express anger dysfunctionally, we may face many psychological difficulties and interpersonal problems. We considered an antecedent factor that affects dysfunctional anger expression, an emotion that could mediate this relationship, and therapeutic variables that could reduce vulnerability to dysfunctional anger. To this end, we examined whether internalized shame mediates the relationship between rejection sensitivity and dysfunctional anger expression and whether self-compassion moderates this mediation. To investigate this, 400 college students completed surveys measuring rejection sensitivity, internalized shame, dysfunctional anger expression styles, and self-compassion. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 29.0 and the PROCESS macro for regression analysis. As a result, the mediating effect of internalized shame on the relationship between rejection sensitivity and dysfunctional anger expression was confirmed. It was also confirmed that self-compassion moderates the relationship between rejection sensitivity and internalized shame. Finally, self-compassion was found to moderate the mediating effect of internalized shame in the pathway from rejection sensitivity to dysfunctional anger expression. This study contributes to a broader understanding of anger by confirming the influence of self-related cognitive and emotional variables such as rejection sensitivity and internalized shame on dysfunctional anger expression. In addition, by addressing rejection sensitivity before it triggers internalized shame and leads to dysfunctional anger expression, self-compassion may play an important therapeutic role in reducing shame caused by anger and fostering true self-acceptance.