Searching for Love: A Psychological Case Study of Rejection Sensitivity and Family-System Stress

Abstract This qualitative case study explores the lived psychological experience of a 27-year-old working woman (pseudonym: Shivanshi ) presenting with chronic relational instability, fear of rejection, emotional dependency, family-system pressure, financial stress, unresolved grief, and impaired self-worth. Using a qualitative clinical framework, the study analyzes narrative data, cognitive–emotional patterns, interpersonal dynamics, and psychosocial stressors through thematic analysis. The case is interpreted using integrative psychological perspectives including Attachment Theory, Cognitive Behavioral Theory (CBT), Family Systems Theory, and Schema Theory. The findings reveal core themes of rejection sensitivity, validation-seeking behavior, relational trauma repetition, family-induced vulnerability, and internalized unlovability schemas. The study highlights the psychological interplay between personal loss, social rejection, family stress, and maladaptive belief systems, offering an in-depth qualitative formulation and therapeutic implications.