The Role of Metacognition and Intolerance of Uncertainty in Differentiating Illness Anxiety and Generalized Anxiety (original) (raw)
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Worry and Metacognitions as Predictors of Anxiety Symptoms: A Prospective Study
Frontiers in Psychology
Both worry and metacognitive beliefs have been found to be related to the development of anxiety, but metacognitive theory ) suggest that metacognitive beliefs may play a more prominent role. The aim of the present prospective study was to examine whether worry, metacognitive beliefs or the interaction between worry and metacognitive beliefs, were the best predictor of anxiety over time, utilizing a longitudinal, prospective study design. An undergraduate student sample (N = 190) was assessed on measures of worry (PSWQ), metacognitive beliefs (MCQ-30) and anxiety (BAI) at three points in time over a 7-month period. A mixed-model analysis revealed that both worry and metacognitive beliefs predicted development of anxiety, independently of each other, with no indication of an interaction-effect (PSWQ * MCQ-30). Further, analyses of the MCQ-30 subscales indicated that negative metacognitive beliefs may be particularly important in the development of anxiety. While gender was correlated with worry, gender predicted anxiety beyond the effect of worry. Taken together, the results imply that both worry and metacognitive beliefs play a prominent role for the development of anxiety.
Correlation among meta-cognitive beliefs and anxiety – depression symptoms
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2010
Metacognition is cognizing the beliefs including views and opinions which persons have about the events such as thoughts, emotions, memories, scenes and their comprehensions. Objectives of this study are to survey the interaction of these Metacognitive beliefs with the symptoms of anxiety and depression between the Allameh Tabatabei University Students. Therefore 260 students of this University were selected by the help of method of multi-methods clause. For measuring Meta-cognitive beliefs the sampled community was given the MCQ-30 questionnaire and for measurement of anxiety and depression two scale of anxiety and depression the test of depression, anxiety and stress(DASS-21) was used. Data were analyzed by the method of Pierson Correlation and forward multivariate Regression. The results indicate that the Meta-cognitive beliefs especially "negative ones is related to the uncontrollability and danger" and "low cognitive confidence" has positive relationship with anxiety and depression (negative emotions). Also the results of regression show that between the Meta-cognitive beliefs, the factor of negative Meta-cognitive beliefs in case of uncontrollability and danger is the best predictor both for depression and anxiety. The approaches of this study support this prediction in which the experience of negative emotions such as anxiety and depression has positive and meaningful relation with the Meta-cognitive dimension experiences and support the S-REF model and this approaches says that the treatment of such symptoms related to the depression and anxiety must use the S-REF theory.
Metacognition and Depression, State Anxiety and Trait Anxiety Symptoms
Objective: The objective of this study was analyzing the effect of meta-cognition elements on depression, trait and state anxiety symptoms. Methods: In this Study, the sample consisted of 224 students of University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences that answered three questionnaires including Metacognitive Questionnaire (MCQ-30), Beck Depression inventory (BDI-II) and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Pearson correlation coefficient and step-by-step regression to analyze were used for data analysis. Results: According to the results, there is a positive and significant correlation between total score of metacognition and four elements of beliefs (positive beliefs, negative beliefs, uncontrollability and low cognitive trust (P<0.01). In addition, summary of results indicated that out of metacognitive elements, only general negative beliefs may predict the variations of depression scores, (P<0.01). Conclusion: Summary of this study demonstrated that metacognitive beliefs are significantly effective on prediction of depression and anxiety. Moreover, out of metacognitive elements, only general negative beliefs, in comparison with other elements, may predict the depression.
Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 2008
The purpose of the present study was twofold. First, to examine the psychometric properties of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) and the Metacognitions Questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30) in a Turkish sample. Second, to investigate metacognitive predictors of pathological worry and obsessive-compulsive (o-c) symptoms in this group. The sample included 561 non-clinical participants. Consistent with non-English versions, the Turkish version of the PSWQ was found to have a two-factor structure. The MCQ-30 was shown to be composed of fi ve factors similar to the English version. Reliability analyses indicated that both the PSWQ and MCQ-30 possessed high internal consistency, split-half reliability and test-retest coeffi cients. As expected, both scales positively correlated with measures of o-c symptoms, trait anxiety, and anxiety and depression, as well as with each other. Negative and positive metacognitive beliefs about
Metacognitive theory of emotional disorders suggests that metacognitive beliefs can play a causal role in the development and maintenance of anxiety symptoms. In this prospective study, we examine the relationships between metacognitive beliefs, perceived stress and anxiety in a non-clinical sample. Participants were 135 undergraduate students who completed a battery of questionnaire at two time points (3-months apart). Results revealed metacognitive beliefs do not predict long-term anxiety independently. However, moderation analyses demonstrated negative beliefs about uncontrollability and danger prospectively moderated the relationship between perceived stress and Time 2 anxiety. Negative metacognitive beliefs also interacted with baseline anxiety to predict the change in anxiety symptoms. The results confirm metacognitions play a causal role in anxiety and have implications for cognitive models and the treatment of anxiety.
2021
Background: Research suggests that Intolerance of Uncertainty is a transdiagnostic risk and maintaining factor in anxiety disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hierarchical model of trait Intolerance of Uncertainty and disorder-specific Intolerance of Uncertainty in symptoms of anxiety disorders in Iranian university students.Methods: Participants (N = 561) completed a battery of questionnaires which assess intolerance of uncertainty, disorder-specific intolerance of uncertainty, metacognition beliefs, fear of negative evaluation, obsessive cognitions, agoraphobic cognitions, obsessive compulsive symptoms, generalized anxiety disorder symptoms, social phobia symptoms, and panic disorder symptoms. Results: Results showed hierarchical model of trait Intolerance of Uncertainty and disorder-specific Intolerance of Uncertainty fit with data. Trait intolerance of uncertainty and disorder-specific intolerance of uncertainty had significant direct and indirect association wit...
Behavior therapy, 2002
Advances in treating generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are likely to result from a better understanding of the dysfunctional cognitive mechanisms underlying persistent worrying. In a cognitive model of GAD, Wells (1995) proposed that pathological worry is maintained by maladaptive metacognitions (negative beliefs about worry concerning uncontrollability and danger, and negative appraisal of worrying [meta-worry]) and linked behaviors. Twenty-four patients with GAD were compared with sex-matched groups--social phobia, panic disorder, and nonpatients--on measures of negative metacognitions and worry. It was hypothesized that patients with GAD would obtain higher negative metacognitive belief scores and higher metaworry scores than the other groups; differences in negative metacognitions would be independent of the general frequency of worry. A group of individuals with major depression was also examined as a subsidiary exploration of relative metacognitive and worry characteristics of this disorder. All of the hypotheses were upheld in the univariate ANOVAs. There was a loss of one hypothesized significant difference between the GAD and panic disorder groups in meta-worry when general worry frequency was controlled. However, the GAD group still had higher meta-worry scores than the panic group. This effect appears to be the result of patients with panic having intermediate meta-worry scores falling between the GAD and other groups. Differences between the GAD group and all other groups in negative metacognitive beliefs concerning uncontrollability and danger remained when general worry was controlled. The results add further support to the cognitive model, and treatment implications are briefly discussed.
Journal of psychopathology and behavioral assessment, 2024
high levels of comorbidity (Kessler et al., 2005) and psychosocial impairment (Hunt et al., 2004). As a result, much research over the past 20 years has explored the cognitive mechanisms contributing to the development and maintenance of GAD, with the aim of identifying targets for intervention and treatment. The metacognitive model of GAD (Wells, 1995) is based on the Self-Regulatory Executive Function (S-REF) model (Wells & Matthews, 1994, 1996), a transdiagnostic theory that incorporates the cognitive and attentional processes and biases implicated in emotional disorders. In relation to GAD, the metacognitive model postulates that holding both positive and negative beliefs about worry results in heightened levels of perseverative thinking and distress. When perceived threats trigger intrusive negative thoughts (e.g., "What if it's cancer?"), positive beliefs are activated (e.g., "Worrying helps me solve problems"), leading to the selection of worry as a coping strategy. This form of worry,
Frontiers in psychology, 2018
Intolerance of Uncertainty is a fundamental transdiagnostic personality construct hierarchically organized with a core general factor underlying diverse clinical manifestations. The current study evaluated the construct validity of the Intolerance of Uncertainty Inventory, a two-part scale separately assessing a unitary Intolerance of Uncertainty disposition to consider uncertainties to be unacceptable and threatening (Part A) and the consequences of such disposition, regarding experiential avoidance, chronic doubt, overestimation of threat, worrying, control of uncertain situations, and seeking reassurance (Part B). Community members ( = 1046; Mean age = 36.69 ± 12.31 years; 61% females) completed the Intolerance of Uncertainty Inventory with the Beck Depression Inventory-II and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Part A demonstrated a robust unidimensional structure and an excellent convergent validity with Part B. A bifactor model was the best fitting model for Part B. Based on th...
2019
Objective: The present study aimed at examining worry, cognitive avoidance, intolerance of uncertainty, and metacognitive beliefs, as transdiagnostic factors, in clinical samples with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Methods: In total, 200 patients (66 with GAD, 74 with OCD, and 60 with comorbid GAD and OCD) were selected to participate in this study using the purposeful sampling method. The participants completed the Penn State worry questionnaire, cognitive avoidance questionnaire, intolerance of uncertainty scale, and metacognitive beliefs questionnaire. Results: The findings showed no significant difference between patients with GAD and OCD in total scores of these constructs; however, the patients with comorbidity of GAD and OCD showed significantly higher scores in these measures (P<0.01) compared with the patients with GAD or OCD. Conclusion: These cognitive factors are possible transdiagnostic factors shared between GAD and OCD. Moreover, they considerably increase when GAD and OCD co-occur.