Dispositional mindfulness and rejection sensitivity: The critical role of nonjudgment.

The pain of rejection is a crucial component of normal social functioning; however, heightened sensitivity to rejection can be impairing in numerous ways. Mindfulness-based interventions have been effective with several populations characterized by elevated sensitivity to rejection; however, the relationship between mindfulness and rejection sensitivity has been largely unstudied. The present study examines associations between rejection sensitivity and multiple dimensions of dispositional mindfulness, with the hypothesis that a nonjudgmental orientation to inner experiences would be both associated with decreased rejection sensitivity and attenuate the impact of sensitivity to rejection on general negative affect. A cross-sectional sample of undergraduates (n = 451) completed self-report measures of rejection sensitivity, dispositional mindfulness, and trait-level negative affect. Significant zero-order correlations and independent effects were observed between most facets of dispositional mindfulness and rejection sensitivity, with nonjudging demonstrating the largest effects. As predicted, rejection sensitivity was associated with negative affectivity for people low in nonjudging (ß = .27, t = 5.12, p < .001) but not for people high in nonjudging (ß = .06, t = .99, p = .324). These findings provide preliminary support for mindfulness, specifically the nonjudging dimension, as a protective factor against rejection sensitivity and its effects on affect.

Anger Rumination as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Mindfulness and Aggression: The Utility of a Multidimensional Mindfulness Model.

OBJECTIVES: Mindfulness training reduces anger and aggression, but the mechanisms of these effects are unclear. Mindfulness may reduce anger expression and hostility via reductions in anger rumination, a process of thinking repetitively about angry episodes that increases anger. Previous research supports this theory but used measures of general rumination and assessed only the present-centered awareness component of mindfulness. The present study investigated associations between various aspects of mindfulness, anger rumination, and components of aggression. METHOD: The present study used self-report measures of these constructs in a cross-sectional sample of 823 students. RESULTS: Structural equation modeling revealed that anger rumination accounts for a significant component of the relationship between mindfulness and aggression, with the largest effect sizes demonstrated for the nonjudgment of inner experiences facet of mindfulness. CONCLUSION: Nonjudgment and present-centered awareness may influence aggression via reduced anger rumination. The importance of examining mindfulness as a multidimensional construct is discussed.

Development and Validation of a Measure of Self-Critical Rumination.

Self-criticism is a form of negative self-evaluation that has strong associations with many forms of psychopathology. Rumination is a maladaptive form of repetitive thinking that is associated with many psychological disorders. Although measures of several different types of rumination (e.g., general rumination, depressive rumination, anger rumination) have been developed, none focuses specifically on self-critical rumination. An initial pool of items addressing self-critical rumination was developed by adapting items from existing rumination measures and through a writing task administered to both student and clinical samples. Following an evaluation of content validity, 24 items were administered to a large sample of undergraduates along with measures of related constructs. The final 10-item version of the Self-Critical Rumination Scale showed excellent internal consistency, a clear single-factor structure, convergent relationships with related constructs, and incremental validity over other measures of self-criticism and rumination in predicting both general distress and features of borderline personality disorder.

Dysfunctional responses to emotion mediate the cross-sectional relationship between rejection sensitivity and borderline personality features.

A growing body of evidence has tied borderline personality disorder (BPD) to heightened sensitivity to rejection; however, mechanisms through which rejection sensitivity contributes to BPD features have not been identified. Rejection may lead to the dysfunctional emotion regulation strategies common in BPD, such as impulsive responses to distress, anger rumination, difficulties engaging in goal-oriented behavior, nonacceptance of emotions, and low emotional clarity. The present study used self-report measures and bootstrapping procedures to investigate the role of difficulties in emotional regulation in the relationship between rejection sensitivity and borderline personality features in a cross-sectional sample of 410 undergraduates. Difficulties in emotion regulation accounted for significant variance in the relationships between rejection sensitivity and BPD features, with varying sets of deficits in emotion regulation skills accounting for associations with specific BPD features. Potential clinical implications and the need for replication in longitudinal studies are discussed.

Shame and borderline personality features: the potential mediating role of anger and anger rumination.

Two prominent emotions in borderline personality disorder (BPD) are shame and anger. Rumination has been demonstrated to occur in response to shame and to escalate anger, and rumination, particularly anger rumination, has been shown to predict BPD symptoms. The present study tested a structural equation model in which shame leads to the features of BPD via increased anger and anger rumination. A sample of 823 undergraduates completed self-report measures of shame, trait-level anger, anger rumination, and BPD features. The hypothesized model of shame to anger and anger rumination to BPD features was largely supported. Bootstrapping was used to establish significant indirect effects from both situational and global forms of shame via anger rumination to BPD features, and from global shame via anger to most BPD features. The alternative hypothesis that anger and anger rumination contribute to BPD features via increased shame was also examined, with no significant indirect effects found. Recognizing this function of anger and anger rumination may be important in understanding the relationship between shame-proneness and BPD features and may have implications for treatment. Further research into determining other ways individuals maladaptively respond to shame, and understanding the functions of anger and anger rumination, is recommended.