Rumination as a widespread emotion-based cognitive vulnerability in borderline personality disorder: A meta-analytic review

Objective The current quantitative review aims at comprehensively clarifying the role of rumination in borderline personality disorder (BPD) considering its relevance for several clinical models of the disorder. Method This meta-analysis included 29 independent studies assessing different forms of rumination-general tendency to engage in ruminative thinking patterns and four types of emotion-based rumination among both nonclinical subjects reporting BPD features and patients with BPD. Furthermore, the study tested whether rumination could be considered a widespread emotion-based cognitive vulnerability in BPD. Results Meta-analytic procedures were based on 46 r coefficients that showed large pooled effect sizes for all forms of rumination. With the exception of interpersonal rumination, the remaining forms of rumination were equally involved in BPD features. Conclusions Rumination should be considered a widespread emotion-based cognitive vulnerability in BPD. Future studies should provide longitudinal and contextual-based evaluations of rumination among treatment-seeking individuals with BPD.