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Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a major risk factor for developing symptoms of depression. Severity of social anxiety has previously been identified as a risk factor, and cognitive models emphasize dysfunctional schemas and self-processing as the key vulnerability factors underlying general distress in SAD. However, in the metacognitive model, depressive and other symptoms are related to metacognitive beliefs. The aim of this study was therefore to test the relative contribution of metacognitions when controlling for SAD severity and factors postulated in cognitive models. In a cross-sectional design, 102 patients diagnosed with primary SAD were included. We found that negative metacognitive beliefs concerning uncontrollability and danger and low confidence in memory emerged as the only factors explaining depressive symptoms in the regression model, suggesting that metacognitive beliefs are associated with increased depressive symptoms in SAD patients., (Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Background The Metacognitions Questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30) was developed to measure individual differences in metacognitive beliefs and processes, which are central to the metacognitive model of emotional disorders. Although previous research has supported the role of metacognitive beliefs and processes in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), no studies have examined the psychometric properties and factor structure of the MCQ-30 in OCD patients. The present study overcomes this limitation by exploring the factor structure and convergent validity of the MCQ-30 in a sample of OCD patients before and after psychological treatment. Method The MCQ-30 and the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) were administered to 352 OCD patients at pre-treatment and to 213 of these OCD patients at post-treatment. The factorial structure and convergent validity of the MCQ-30 were assessed using factor analyses and structural equation modelling. Results Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses supported the originally hypothesized five-factor structure of the MCQ-30. At both time points, structural equation modelling indicated that dimensions of metacognition were significantly associated with obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Conclusions The MCQ-30 appears to be a valid and reliable instrument for measuring metacognitive beliefs and processes in OCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Wells'' (Wells, A. (1997). Cognitive therapy of anxiety disorders: a practice manual and conceptual guide. Chichester, UK: Wiley) metacognitive model of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) predicts that metacognitions must change in order for psychological treatment to be effective. The aim of this study was to explore: (1) if metacognitions change in patients undergoing exposure treatment for OCD; (2) to determine the extent to which cognitive and metacognitive change predicts symptom improvement and recovery. The sample consisted of 83 outpatients with a diagnosis of OCD who completed exposure and response prevention treatment. The Yale–Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), the Metacognitions Questionnaire (MCQ-30) and the Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire (OBQ-44) were administered before treatment, after treatment, and at 12-month follow-up. Treatment resulted in significant changes in symptoms, metacognition score, responsibility and perfectionism. Regression analysis using post-treatment Y-BOCS as the dependent variable indicated that when the overlap between predictors was controlled for, only changes in metacognition were significant. Changes in metacognitions explained 22% of the variance in symptoms at post-treatment when controlling for pre-treatment symptoms and changes in mood. A further regression revealed that two MCQ-30 subscales made individual contributions. The patients had significantly higher scores compared to community controls on the MCQ-30. Patients who achieved clinical significant change had lower scores on the MCQ-30 compared to patients who did not change. The results did not change significantly from post-treatment to follow-up assessment. These findings provide further support for the importance of metacognitions in treating OCD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of the current study was to further investigate the role of metacognitive beliefs implicated in model of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The metacognitive domains of thought-fusion beliefs and beliefs about rituals were positively correlated with obsessive-compulsive symptoms in a community control sample (N =269) and in an OCD sample (N =57). The OCD sample had significantly more obsessive-compulsive symptoms as well as higher scores on the metacognitive constructs than the control sample. In order to perform a more stringent test of the metacognitive model of OCD and to explore the role of a third metacognitive construct, that of stop signals, a second study was conducted using a community control sample (N =304). All three metacognitive constructs were positively correlated with obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Thought-fusion beliefs and beliefs about rituals predicted obsessive-compulsive symptoms, even when controlling for worry, threat, and non-metacognitive beliefs such as perfectionism/certainty and responsibility. Results of this study provide further evidence for the importance of metacognitions in OCD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]