Role Of Metacognitive Beliefs Research Articles

Perfectionism in patients with eating disorders: The role of metacognitive beliefs and repetitive negative thinking

AbstractIntroductionUsing the Self‐Regulatory Executive Function model as a basis, this study explored whether, in patients with eating disorders (EDs), metacognitions and repetitive negative thinking are associated with higher levels of perfectionisms.MethodsOne hundred twenty‐three outpatients with EDs were recruited. Perfectionism, metacognitive beliefs, worry, rumination, anger rumination, affective and eating symptoms were assessed. Correlation and hierarchal regression analyses were run.ResultsHigher endorsement of positive beliefs about worry was associated with higher levels of ‘personal standards perfectionism’. Higher endorsement of positive beliefs about worry, need to control thoughts, worry and rumination was associated with higher levels of ‘concern over mistakes perfectionism’.ConclusionsAmong patients with EDs, perfectionism appears to be associated with the endorsement of dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs, worry and rumination. Dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs and repetitive negative thinking could be suitable therapeutic targets to reduce the levels of perfectionism among patients with EDs.

Experience sampling methodology study of anxiety and depression in adolescents with epilepsy: The role of metacognitive beliefs and perseverative thinking

Emotional distress is common in young people with epilepsy (YPwE). According to the Self-Regulatory Executive Function (S-REF) model, maladaptive metacognitive beliefs and perseverative thinking are fundamental in the development and maintenance of emotional distress. As emotional distress and perseverative thinking can highly fluctuate over short intervals in YPwE, it is important to account for this variability when testing the utility of psychological models. Experience sampling methodology (ESM) was therefore used to explore the momentary relationship between metacognitive beliefs, perseverative thinking, and emotional distress in YPwE. Eighteen participants diagnosed with epilepsy (aged 12–17 years) completed the 10-day ESM period. Participants were prompted to complete the ESM assessment five times daily. The ESM assessment assessed participant’s momentary levels of metacognitive beliefs, perseverative thinking (i.e., worry and rumination), and emotional distress (i.e., anxiety and depression). A series of multilevel regression analyses indicated that metacognitive beliefs were significantly positively associated with worry, rumination, anxiety and depression. After controlling for worry and rumination, respectively, metacognitive beliefs did not account for additional variance in anxiety or depression. Findings provide preliminary support for the utility of the S-REF model for emotional distress in YPwE. Metacognitive therapy, which is underpinned by the S-REF model, may be an appropriate intervention for emotional distress in YPwE. Future studies should assess the mediational relationship between metacognitive beliefs, perseverative thinking, and emotional distress using time-lagged models.

Factorial Structure of the Emotional Beliefs Questionnaire: Testing Measurement Invariance and Competitive Models

The role of metacognitive beliefs towards positive and negative emotions has been stressed by several theoretical models. The Emotion Belief Questionnaire (EBQ) has been developed to assess these metacognitive beliefs. We administrated the Italian version of the EBQ, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), the DERS-Positive and the short form of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) to a sample of Italian adults. (N = 516). Structural Equation Modelling testing the factorial structure of EBQ evidenced a good fit in the four-factor model compared to the three-factor model and model with two second order variables. The EBQ showed invariance across sex, and significant associations with validating variables. These results demonstrate the goodness of the four-factor structure for the EBQ and support its use for assessment of metacognition beliefs towards emotions.

Worry in Adolescents: the Role of Metacognitive Beliefs and Thought Control Strategies

Worry in Adolescents: the Role of Metacognitive Beliefs and Thought Control Strategies

The Role of Metacognitive Beliefs in Predicting Academic Procrastination Among Students in Iran: Cross-sectional Study.

BackgroundAcademic procrastination is a challenge that many students face. Metacognitive beliefs are the main cause of academic procrastination because they are one of the main reasons for students' academic failure or progress.ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine whether and to what extent academic procrastination could be predicted based on students’ metacognitive beliefs.MethodsThis descriptive cross-sectional study involved 300 students selected via stratified random sampling. Data were collected using the Procrastination Assessment Scale for Students and the Metacognition Questionnaire-30. The data analysis was done using the Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analysis to estimate the correlation coefficient and predictability of academic procrastination based on metacognitive beliefs.ResultsA significant negative correlation was observed between the subscale of positive beliefs of concern and academic procrastination (r=–0.16; P<.001). In addition, the metacognitive beliefs of the participants predicted 10% of academic procrastination. The component of positive metacognitive beliefs with the β value of 0.45 negatively and significantly predicted the students’ academic procrastination (P<.001), whereas the component of negative metacognitive beliefs with the β value of .39 positively and significantly predicted the students’ academic procrastination (P<.001).ConclusionsMetacognitive beliefs can predict students' academic procrastination. Therefore, the modification of metacognitive beliefs to reduce procrastination is suggested.

The role of Metacognitive Beliefs and Resilience on Predicting Marital Adjustment in Both Groups of Patients with Chronic and Acute Pain

The role of Metacognitive Beliefs and Resilience on Predicting Marital Adjustment in Both Groups of Patients with Chronic and Acute Pain

The Relationship of Neuroticism with Sleep Quality: The Mediating Role of Emotional, Cognitive and Metacognitive Factors

ABSTRACT Background Poor sleep quality is associated with a broad range of psychopathology and is a common problem among college students. This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of metacognitive beliefs related to sleep, emotion regulation and a negative cognitive style related to anxiety (looming cognitive style) in the relation between neuroticism and reported sleep quality. Participants Participants were 343 undergraduates from three universities in Tehran (56.3% females, Mean age = 22.01 ± 2.74 years). Method Data were gathered with a questionnaire packet that included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Metacognitions Questionnaire-Insomnia (MCQ-I), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), Looming Maladaptive Style Questionnaire (LMSQ) and Neuroticism subscale of NEO-PI-R. Results Structural equation modeling analyses supported a proposed model (R2 = 37%) which proposed that neuroticism both directly and indirectly linked to reported sleep quality through metacognitions related to sleep, cognitive reappraisal and looming cognitive style (χ2 = 1194.87, p < .001; CFI = 0.93, NFI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.065, GFI = 0.92, SRMR = 0.069, IFI = 0.93). Conclusions The results provide evidence for the impact of neuroticism on reported sleep quality through metacognitive, cognitive and emotional factors. The result suggest that special attention should be paid to these factors in the treatment and psychopathology of sleep quality.

The Role of Metacognitive Beliefs and Mathematical Self-Esteem in Predicting the Mathematical Competence of Preschool Children

The Role of Metacognitive Beliefs and Mathematical Self-Esteem in Predicting the Mathematical Competence of Preschool Children

Review of previous research on the role of metacognitive beliefs and metacognitive therapies in schizophrenic patients

Present research reviews previous studies on metacognitive beliefs and the role of metacognitive therapies in the treatment of the patients suffering from Schizophrenia which is one of the most important psychological disorders. Patients suffering from schizophrenia have shown a serious change in perception, emotion, cognition, thinking, and also behavior. Harmful metacognitive beliefs, cognitive biases, inability to perceive other people’s points of view, repetitive and dysfunctional thinking processes, etc. are just a few drawbacks of Schizophrenia. Additionally, some studies have shown more specific metacognitive beliefs in schizophrenic patients, however, there were differences between the results of various studies. This research highlights the results of some previous studies on metacognitive beliefs and the effect of metacognitive therapies in the treatment of patients being subjected to schizophrenia disorders. This may be a sparkle of hope in diagnosing psychological conditions affecting schizophrenia, and also paves the way to effective psychological therapies for schizophrenic patients. It should be emphasized that the diversity of the results from previous researches in this field was probably due to the chronic, under-treated, acute status of the patients, the number of patients, culture role, the degree of the resilience, and so on.

Exploratory study of metacognitive beliefs about coping processes in prolonged grief symptomatology

ABSTRACTDespite research examining the role of metacognitive beliefs about coping processes in maintaining psychological disorders, to date, no studies have explored their role in the maintenance of prolonged grief. Twelve semistructured interviews were conducted with bereavement specialists and bereaved people with elevated grief to identify metacognitive beliefs about coping processes relevant to prolonged grief. Analysis revealed several metacognitive beliefs potentially driving maladaptive coping processes used by people with prolonged grief symptomatology. Findings may underpin the development of interventions that aim to modify unhelpful metacognitive beliefs that perpetuate maladaptive coping processes.

Experimental manipulation of metacognitive beliefs and paranoia in a non-clinical population

Objective: The application of metacognitive processes in the development of paranoia has been examined, with tentative support evident. In the absence of causal conclusions, the present study examined the causal role of metacognitive beliefs in the development of paranoia by manipulating positive and negative metacognitive beliefs on paranoia frequency and distress.Method: A non-clinical sample (n = 110) was randomly assigned to either a positive or negative manipulation experimental group intended to alter beliefs about paranoia followed by a paranoia induction task (Cyberball task).Results: The positive beliefs induction was successful in manipulating metacognitive beliefs. Following the paranoia induction, the positive beliefs group reported an increase in paranoia frequency (F(1, 106) = 12.4, p = .001); the negative beliefs group reported a decrease in paranoia related distress (F(1, 104) = 8.21, p = .005).Conclusions: This is the first experimental manipulation of beliefs about paranoia study to show that positive beliefs about paranoia leads to the adoption of paranoia as a deliberate strategy for managing interpersonal threat. Findings from this novel experimental paradigm support the metacognitive prediction of the Self-Referent Executive Function model. Further investigation is needed in manipulating negative beliefs about paranoia and its impact on paranoia-related distress.

Metacognitive beliefs as a predictor of health anxiety in a self-reporting Italian clinical sample.

Research has supported the specific role that anxiety sensitivity, health-related dysfunctional beliefs, and metacognitive beliefs may play in the development and maintenance of health anxiety symptoms. However, the role of metacognitive beliefs in health anxiety has only been explored in analogue samples. The aim of this study was to explore for the first time the association between metacognitive beliefs and health anxiety symptoms in a sample of participants who reported having received a diagnosis of severe health anxiety (hypochondriasis) or illness anxiety disorder and test whether these beliefs are significant predictors of health anxiety after controlling for anxiety, depression, anxiety sensitivity, and dysfunctional beliefs. A series of dimensional self-report measures were administered to a large Italian sample (N=458). At a bivariate level, Beliefs that Thoughts are Uncontrollable had a stronger association with health anxiety than any of the dysfunctional beliefs and anxiety sensitivity subscales. Results from hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that Beliefs that Thoughts are Uncontrollable predicted health anxiety symptoms over-and-above depression, general anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, and health-related dysfunctional beliefs. Despite many important limitations, this study supported the hypothesis that metacognition may have an important role in health anxiety in clinical samples.

The role of metacognitive beliefs in health anxiety

Research has supported the specific role that anxiety sensitivity and health-related dysfunctional cognitions may have in the development and maintenance of health anxiety symptoms. Recent evidence suggests that metacognitive beliefs may also be instrumental in the symptomatology of health anxiety. The aim of the present study was to explore the association between metacognitive beliefs and health anxiety symptoms and to test whether these beliefs are significant predictors of health anxiety after controlling for anxiety, depression, anxiety sensitivity and dysfunctional beliefs. A series of dimensional self-report measures were administered to a large Italian non-clinical sample (N=342). At a bivariate level, metacognitive beliefs about uncontrollability and interference of illness thoughts had a stronger association with health anxiety than any of the dysfunctional beliefs. Results from hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that metacognitive beliefs about uncontrollability and interference of illness thoughts predicted health anxiety symptoms over-and-above depression, general anxiety, anxiety sensitivity, and health-related dysfunctional beliefs. Moreover, results from moderation analysis indicated that metacognitive beliefs about uncontrollability and interference of illness thoughts moderated the relationship between anxiety sensitivity and health anxiety. Overall, this study supported the hypothesis that metacognition may have an important role in health anxiety.

Further insight into the role of metacognitive beliefs in schizophrenia and OCD patients: Testing a mediation model

This study explored the mediation effect of metacognitive beliefs on the relationship between intrusive thoughts and emotional distress in schizophrenia (N=49) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (N=35). Intrusive thoughts impact on anxiety and depression through beliefs about uncontrollability and danger of thoughts in schizophrenia. Negative beliefs in general mediated the effect of intrusive thoughts on anxiety in obsessive-compulsive disorder. The results suggest that metacognitive beliefs may be a vulnerability factor for emotional and psychological disorder.

The role of metacognitive beliefs in stress sensitisation, self-esteem variability, and the generation of paranoia

Introduction. Stress sensitisation may play a key role in the formation of psychosis. The authors examined whether metacognitive beliefs and self-esteem moderate affective response to stress, and whether subtle fluctuations in self-esteem act as a mediator between stress and attenuated psychotic phenomena. Method. 70 healthy volunteers completed two conditions of the same experimental tasks, which were designed to be either neutral or stress inducing. Ambulant assessments of negative affect, self-esteem, and suspicious thoughts were taken before and after each task, and standardised questionnaires were completed at the beginning or end of each session. Results. Metacognitive belief subscales, but not self-esteem, moderated the association between stress and resultant negative affect, and negative affect and suspicious thinking. Individuals who placed greater emphasis on controlling their thoughts had greater variability in their self-esteem during the stress condition, which in turn predicted the severity of their attenuated psychotic phenomena. Discussion. Metacognitive beliefs may sensitise an individual to minor stressors, by increasing affective reactivity and causing subtle shifts in appraisals of self-worth. Psychosocial intervention may wish to target these beliefs in order to desensitise an individual to negative events.

The role of Meta-cognitive beliefs on substance dependency

The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of meta-cognitions in substance dependency disorder. The sample of 70 treatment-seeking substance abusers and 70 individuals from the general population participated in this research and they were compared on the following measure: Meta-cognitions Questionnaire 30 (MCQ-30). Multiple analysis of variance(MANOVA),and discriminant analysis were performed on the data. MANOVA revealed that all of five meta-cognitive beliefs were significantly different and higher for substance dependents sample than for the general population. The discriminant analysis indicates that three meta-cognitive factors include “negative beliefs about thoughts concerning uncontrollability and danger”, “beliefs about the need to control thoughts “and” cognitive self-consciousness” were independent predictors for substance dependency disorder. These results provide more supportive evidence for S-REF theory in which substance dependency supported by disruptions of meta-cognitive monitoring and control,and also this study and its results recommend that psychotherapists and specialists In the therapy and reduction of substance dependence consider and challenge meta-cognitive beliefs.

The role of metacognitive beliefs in determining the impact of anomalous experiences: a comparison of help-seeking and non-help-seeking groups of people experiencing psychotic-like anomalies

Current psychological models of psychotic symptoms suggest that metacognitive beliefs impact on an individual's appraisal of anomalous experiences, and thereby influence whether these lead to distress and become clinical symptoms. This study examined the relationship between maladaptive metacognitive beliefs, anomalous experiences, anomaly-related distress, anxiety and depression and diagnostic status. The Metacognitions Questionnaire (MCQ), Symptom Checklist 90 - Revised, and Appraisals of Anomalous Experiences interview were administered to 27 people diagnosed with a psychotic disorder, 32 people meeting At Risk Mental State (ARMS) criteria, 24 people with psychotic-like experiences but no need for care, and 32 healthy volunteers. The two clinical groups scored higher than non-patient controls and individuals experiencing psychotic-like anomalies with no need for care on most subscales of the MCQ, particularly the 'general negative beliefs about thoughts' (NEG) subscale. However, most group differences became non-significant when anxiety and depression were controlled for. Few relationships were found between the MCQ subscales and psychotic-like anomalies and anomaly-related distress. Cognitive/attentional difficulty was the only type of anomaly to be significantly associated with maladaptive metacognitive beliefs. Anomaly-related distress was associated with only the NEG subscale of the MCQ. Maladaptive metacognitive beliefs, as measured by the MCQ, appear to be related more to elevated levels of general psychopathology in psychotic and at-risk groups than to the presence of, and distress associated with, psychotic experiences. Processes by which metacognitions may impact upon the need for care are discussed.

The role of metacognitive beliefs in auditory hallucinations

The mechanisms contributing to the occurrence of auditory hallucinations have not been fully described, although many researchers agree that they may result from some type of misattributed cognitive event. A number of authors have shown that this misattribution may be influenced by ‘top down' processes such as beliefs and expectations. This type of cognitive bias has also been implicated in other psychological disorders. One area of focus, particularly within the anxiety disorders, has been on metacognitive beliefs and their role in the occurrence and maintenance of symptoms. Metacognitive beliefs have not been widely investigated in psychosis and tools to investigate them have not been developed. In this study, a metacognitions questionnaire [MCQ; Cartwright-Hatton, S., & Wells, A. (1997). Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 11(3),279–296.] (previously used with anxiety disorders) was modified and used to assess metacognitive beliefs with schizophrenic patients. Metacognitive beliefs were compared between schizophrenic patients who were currently experiencing auditory hallucinations and schizophrenic patients who had never had hallucinations. A group of patients with anxiety disorders and a group of non-patients were used as controls. Hallucinating and non-hallucinating schizophrenics scored significantly higher than both the non-patient group and the anxiety patient group on the amount to which they believed their thoughts should be consistent with each other. Hallucinators and anxiety controls had significantly lower confidence in their cognitive processes than non-hallucinating schizophrenics and normal controls. The significance of these findings are discussed in relation to the literature on cognitive processes in hallucinations.