Excessive Reassurance Seeking, Depression, and Interpersonal Rejection: A Meta-Analytic Review

Coyne's (1976a, 1976b) interactional theory of depression predicts positive associations between excessive reassurance seeking (ERS) and both depression and interpersonal rejection. A growing body of research has supported the ERS model, but this work has yet to be systematically reviewed. A meta-analysis of 38 studies (N = 6,973) revealed an aggregate effect size (r) of .32 between ERS and concurrent depression. Moderator analyses showed effect sizes were significantly stronger for studies with self-report measures, compared with interviews, and for samples with higher percentages of women and were marginally stronger for studies with community samples, compared with clinical samples. A second meta-analysis of 16 studies yielded a weighted mean effect size of .14 between ERS and concurrent rejection, with studies assessing target-reported rejection showing stronger effect sizes than studies assessing informant-reported rejection and studies examining romantic relationships yielding marginally stronger effect sizes than studies examining nonromantic relationships. Prospective studies are qualitatively reviewed. Results support the ERS model (with several important caveats) but underscore the need for methodological diversity in future research.