Impact of Real versus Step-Parental Rejection and Social Competence on Psychological Maladjustment of Pakistani Girls

The current study dealt with girls’ perception about step and real parental rejection and social competence in determining their psychological maladjustment. The sample comprised of 100 girls living with at least one step-parent (mother or father) within two parent families. Urdu translated versions of Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire-Child Version (Malik, 2012), Social Competence Scale for Children (Shujja & Malik, 2011), and Personality Assessment Questionnaire (Naz & Kausar, 2011) were used to assess study variables. Findings revealed that girls’ perception about step and real parental rejection was significantly correlated with their psychological maladjustment. Social competence was associated with perceived parental rejection among girls in stepmother–real father families only. It was also observed that girls living in stepmother–real father families were more socially competent than their counterparts living in stepfather–real mother families were. Findings further revealed that for girls belonging to stepfather–real mother families, perceived maternal as well as stepfather rejection predicted their psychological maladjustment. However, in stepmother–real father families, perceived stepmother rejection was the only significant predictor of girls’ psychological maladjustment. Findings have been discussed within indigenous cultural context.