Abstract: Rejection sensitivity (RS) refers to the cognitive-affective processing disposition to anxiously expect, readily perceive, and intensely react to cues of interpersonal rejection. The developmental model of rejection sensitivity suggests that rejection experience is a disadvantaged environment during the growth process of individuals with borderline personality disorder. Therefore, individuals with higher borderline personality features are more inclined to perceive rejection and exclusion. However, findings of previous empirical studies regarding the relationship between borderline personality features and rejection sensitivity are mixed. The current meta-analysis aimed at integrating the results of existing research and examine possible moderators. Fifty original journal articles that met the inclusion/exclusion requirements were included, including 84 effect sizes, and 7, 400 participants. The homogeneity test indicated heterogeneity of effect sizes. Therefore, we used subgroup analysis and meta-regression to explore how different types of study design, source of the sample, sample type, indices of borderline personality feature, and type of rejection sensitivity measurement affect this relationship. The results revealed that (1) the relationship between RS and borderline personality features was the strongest in the subgroup of the cross-sectional design, non-European and American samples, mixed subject samples, overall borderline personality feature, and rejection sensitivity measured by questionnaires; (2) participants' age and the proportion of female participants did not moderate this relationship This is the first meta-analysis to systematically explore the relationship between rejection sensitivity and borderline personality features, and the underlying moderators, which will advance research in this field.

Key words: rejection sensitivity, borderline personality features, meta-analysis, subgroup analysis, meta-regression analysis