The clinical utility of metacognitive beliefs and processes in emotional distress in people with multiple sclerosis

Heffer-Rahn, Philip and Fisher, Peter L ORCID: 0000-0002-7388-720X (2018) The clinical utility of metacognitive beliefs and processes in emotional distress in people with multiple sclerosis. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOSOMATIC RESEARCH, 104. pp. 88-94.

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Abstract

<h4>Aim</h4>Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease that poses significant life challenges. Depression and anxiety often occur in people with MS (PwMS). An information processing model of psychopathology, the Self-Regulatory Executive Function (S-REF) model specifies that maladaptive metacognitive beliefs play a fundamental role in the development and maintenance of distress. The model also asserts that a style of thinking known as the cognitive attentional syndrome (CAS), which consists of worry and rumination, focusing on sources of threat, and unhelpful coping responses, is common across all psychological conditions. This study investigated for the first time whether metacognitive beliefs explained additional variance in distress in PwMS, after accounting for demographic, clinical, and illness appraisal variables.<h4>Method</h4>One hundred and thirty-two participants with MS completed self-report questionnaires measuring distress, fatigue, pain, metacognitive beliefs, illness appraisals, and the CAS. Hierarchical regression modelling was used to test whether metacognitive beliefs accounted for distress. Mediational modelling examined if the CAS mediated the association between metacognitive beliefs and distress.<h4>Results</h4>Metacognitive beliefs made a unique contribution to distress, over and above demographic and clinical variables, and illness appraisals. The CAS fully mediated the relationship between positive metacognitive beliefs and distress, and partially mediated the relationship between negative metacognitive beliefs and distress.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Metacognitive beliefs are associated with emotional distress in PwMS, and the CAS mediates this relationship. Future studies should examine if modification of metacognitive beliefs and processes in PwMS will lead to effective alleviation of emotional distress.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Multiple sclerosis, Depression, Anxiety, Metacognition, Fatigue, Pain
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	27 Nov 2017 15:34
Last Modified:	13 Feb 2024 15:23
DOI:	10.1016/j.jpsychores.2017.11.014
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3012999