A Systematic Review of Meta‐Analyses of Research on Interpersonal Acceptance–rejection Theory: Constructs and Measures

This article is an overview of 12 meta‐analyses conducted to test the basic postulates of interpersonal acceptance–rejection theory (IPARTheory). These meta‐analyses are based on a total of 551 (48% unpublished and 52% published) studies on the theory. The studies were conducted over period of 42 years, from 1975 through 2016. They represent an aggregate sample of 149,440 respondents, including males and females, children and adults. Respondents were taken from 31 countries on five continents. The findings show that interpersonal acceptance and rejection have significant pan‐cultural associations with the psychological adjustment and personality dispositions of children and adults everywhere. The results reviewed also show that the principal measures used so far in IPARTheory research are reliable for cross‐cultural application.