Examining the role of positive and negative metacognitive beliefs in depression

Huntley, Christopher D ORCID: 0000-0002-4045-8433 and Fisher, Peter L ORCID: 0000-0002-7388-720X (2016) Examining the role of positive and negative metacognitive beliefs in depression. SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY, 57 (5). pp. 446-452.

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Abstract

Many psychological models have been developed to explain the development and maintenance of depression. The most widely evaluated model is the cognitive model of depression, and it is against this model that emerging models should be compared. Accordingly, this cross-sectional study examined whether metacognitive beliefs, as specified in the metacognitive model of depression, would explain additional variance in depressive symptoms over dysfunctional attitudes; the core feature of the cognitive model. Moreover, mediational relationships between metacognitive beliefs, rumination, and depressive symptoms, predicted by the metacognitive model were also explored, whilst controlling for dysfunctional attitudes. A sample of 715 students completed self-report questionnaires measuring depressive symptoms, rumination, dysfunctional attitudes, and metacognitive beliefs. Regression analyses showed that metacognitive beliefs made a significant statistical contribution to depressive symptoms, after controlling for age, gender, rumination and dysfunctional attitudes. Furthermore, as predicted by the metacognitive model, the relationship between positive metacognitive beliefs and depressive symptoms was fully mediated by rumination, whilst the relationship between negative metacognitive beliefs about uncontrollability and danger and depressive symptoms was partially mediated by rumination. The results provide further empirical support for the metacognitive model of depression and indicate that positive and negative metacognitive beliefs play an integral role in the maintenance of depressive symptoms.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Depression, rumination, dysfunctional attitudes, metacognitive beliefs, cross-sectional, mediation
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	13 Jul 2016 10:08
Last Modified:	19 Jan 2023 07:33
DOI:	10.1111/sjop.12306
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3002301