Abstract
In the metacognitive model, attentional control and metacognitive beliefs are key transdiagnostic mechanisms contributing to psychological disorder. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relative contribution of these mechanisms to symptoms of anxiety and depression in children with anxiety disorders and in non-clinical controls. In a cross-sectional design, 351 children (169 children diagnosed with a primary anxiety disorder and 182 community children) between 7 and 14 years of age completed self-report measures of symptoms, attention control and metacognitive beliefs. Clinically anxious children reported significantly higher levels of anxiety, lower levels of attention control and higher levels of maladaptive metacognitive beliefs than controls. Across groups, lower attention control and higher levels of maladaptive metacognitive beliefs were associated with stronger symptoms, and metacognitions were negatively associated with attention control. Domains of attention control and metacognitions explained unique variance in symptoms when these were entered in the same model within groups, and an interaction effect between metacognitions and attention control was found in the community group that explained additional variance in symptoms. In conclusion, the findings are consistent with predictions of the metacognitive model; metacognitive beliefs and individual differences in self-report attention control both contributed to psychological dysfunction in children and metacognitive beliefs appeared to be the strongest factor.
Highlights
Anxiety disorders are the most common psychological problems in children and adolescents with prevalence estimates ranging from 3–20% (Costello et al, 2005; Cartwright-Hatton et al, 2006)
We found significant differences between the groups in symptom severity (RCADS total score), in all three domains of attention control, and in all domains of metacognitive beliefs except for judgments of cognitive confidence; the clinical group scored significantly higher on symptoms and metacognitive beliefs, and significantly lower on attention control compared to the community group
There was a significant association between RCADS and Attentional Control Scale for Children (ACS-C) focusing and shifting, indicating that lower levels of attention control in these two domains are associated with higher levels of symptoms, while there was no association between RCADS and the ACS-C flexible subscale in any of the groups
Summary
Anxiety disorders are the most common psychological problems in children and adolescents with prevalence estimates ranging from 3–20% (Costello et al, 2005; Cartwright-Hatton et al, 2006). Cognitive theories of anxiety implicate biases in information processing in the development and maintenance of anxiety (e.g., Williams et al, 1988) Such biases can be observed in the content of interpretations of experience where the sense of danger and threat predominate (Beck et al, 1985). They are evident at the level of attentional processes, where anxiety and depression are associated with biased attention for negative emotion-related stimuli (Bar-Haim et al, 2007; Cisler and Koster, 2010). Individual differences in attention control could contribute to resilience or vulnerability to emotional distress (e.g., Lonigan et al, 2004; Muris et al, 2004, 2007, 2008; Susa et al, 2012)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
