Rumination and Rejection Sensitivity: A Meta-Analysis

Rumination and rejection sensitivity are positively associated with maladaptive outcomes and have been identified as vulnerability factors for psychological disorders, such as depression and anxiety. These constructs share cognitive features, including negative biases and repetitive self-focused thinking, though they are described as conceptually distinct. Several studies have evaluated the association between these constructs, although there is no consensus on the degree of overlap across findings. The present meta-analytic study examined the relationship between rumination and rejection sensitivity across 21 studies (N = 6868) and examined potential moderators that may influence the magnitude of the relationship between these constructs. A moderate positive association (r = 0.43) was found between rumination and rejection sensitivity. The association was not significantly influenced by age, sex, the conceptualization of rumination (sadness/depressive rumination vs. another type of rumination) or the conceptualization of interpersonal functioning (rejection sensitivity vs. interpersonal sensitivity). These findings support that rumination and rejection sensitivity overlap significantly, yet are distinguishable constructs. The evidenced association between these constructs may inform treatment and prevention efforts aimed at reducing psychological vulnerability. It is possible that the estimated association between rumination and rejection sensitivity generalizes across the study and sample features examined; however, it is challenging to draw this conclusion due to limits on predictive power in our moderator analyses. Further research is needed to clarify the association between rumination and rejection sensitivity, particularly over time and across development, and to identify factors that influence the association between these constructs.