Does meta-cognitive theory enhance our understanding of pathological worry and anxiety?

• Published in: Personality and individual differences Vol. 29; no. 3; pp. 513 - 526
• Main Authors: Davis, Robert N, Valentiner, David P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2000; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Anxiety disorders; Anxiety disorders. Neuroses; Anxiety symptoms; Biological and medical sciences; Generalised anxiety disorder; Medical sciences; Meta-cognition; Metacognition; Miscellaneous; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Trait anxiety; Worry; Worry beliefs; Generalised anxiety disorder; Anxiety symptoms; Worry beliefs; Trait anxiety; Meta-cognition; Worry; Belief; Human; Symptomatology; Cognitive theory; Theoretical model; Generalized anxiety disorder; Attitude; Anxiety disorder; Metacognition; Cognition
• ISSN: 0191-8869; 1873-3549
• DOI: 10.1016/S0191-8869(99)00211-1

This study tests several tenets of Wells’ meta-cognitive theory of Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) by using the Meta-Cognitions Questionnaire (MCQ), which was designed to measure meta-cognition in GAD. The MCQ Cognitive Confidence subscale (MCQ-CC) predicted anxiety symptoms even after controlling for both trait anxiety and trait worry. In addition, the MCQ Uncontrollability and Danger (MCQ-UD) subscale had the highest correlation with a discriminant function that correctly classified 80.6% of nonanxious, nonworried-anxious, and GAD participants. Finally, participants who met GAD criteria exhibited significantly higher levels of meta-worry than nonanxious and nonworried-anxious participants, and exhibited both positive and negative beliefs about worry. These results offer additional support for Wells’ meta-cognitive theory of GAD, but also highlight some of its limitations with respect to predictive validity.