The stress generation model posits that not only stressful life‐events predict depressive symptoms, but also depressive‐prone individuals think and behave in ways that make them more vulnerable to experience life‐stress. Evidence has supported the bi‐directional relationship between stress and depressive symptoms, and there has been an attempt in identifying vulnerability factors for stress generation. Yet, there is a need for studies focusing on multiple risk factors and a replication of findings in non‐Western samples. The aim of the present study was to examine the role of rumination and excessive reassurance seeking (ERS) in stress generation in a sample of Turkish young adults. A sample of 318 Turkish college students reported on their rumination, ERS, intensity of stressful life‐events and depressive symptoms. A subsample of 162 participants also completed a measure of life‐events 5 months later. Cross‐sectional results showed that rumination and ERS contribute to life‐stress over and above depressive symptoms and gender. Mediational analyses indicated that ERS does not mediate the relationship between rumination and life‐stress at 5 months. Rather, rumination fully mediated the relationship between ERS and future life‐stress. Results provide evidence for stress generation, and highlight the interconnection between rumination and
ERS.