Cognitive fusion accounts for the relation of anxiety sensitivity cognitive concerns and rumination

Rumination is a transdiagnostic construct associated with poor outcomes broadly. Though extant research indicates anxiety sensitivity (AS) cognitive concerns is associated with, and a risk factor for, excessive rumination, behavioral constructs that may account for this relation have not been specified. Cognitive fusion may be one such construct, in that individuals with high AS cognitive concerns may become overly entangled in and influenced by unwanted cognition, leading to rumination. However, relations of AS cognitive concerns, cognitive fusion, and rumination have not been identified. The present study aimed to identify the variance accounted for by cognitive fusion in the AS cognitive concerns-rumination relation using conditional process analysis on cross-sectional data provided by college students (N = 368). All variables were positively correlated, and bootstrapped analyses indicated cognitive fusion accounted for significant variance in the relation of AS cognitive concerns and rumination, ab = 1.03, SE = 0.11, 95% CI [0.82, 1.26]. Additional research evaluating the applicability of cognitive fusion as an intervention strategy for individuals struggling with high AS cognitive concerns and rumination appears warranted.