THE ROLE OF ANTI-MATTERING IN DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES: DECISION RUMINATION AS A MEDIATOR OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS

Authors: Abby Halston, Ed.D.; Ashley May, MS; Nadine Ferber, MA; Darren Iwamoto, Ed.D.

ABSTRACT

Perceived relational insignificance (anti-mattering) is associated with depression, anxiety, and stress, yet the cognitive mechanisms sustaining this relationship remain unclear. This study examined decision-related rumination as a mediating pathway between anti-mattering and psychological distress in a sample of 205 adults recruited via Prolific. Participants completed measures of anti-mattering, fear of not mattering, decision rumination, and psychological distress (DASS-21). Bootstrapped mediation analyses revealed that decision rumination partially mediated the anti-mattering–distress relationship, accounting for approximately 26% of the total effect. Younger adults and ethnic minority participants reported elevated distress and rumination. These findings suggest that feeling insignificant to others promotes maladaptive decision-focused overthinking, which in turn amplifies psychological distress, identifying rumination as a promising intervention target for individuals high in anti-mattering.

Keywords: anti-mattering, rumination, distress, well-being, insignificance

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