Metacognitive beliefs and illness perceptions are associated with emotional distress in people with epilepsy



Fisher, Peter L ORCID: 0000-0002-7388-720X, Reilly, James and Noble, Adam ORCID: 0000-0002-8070-4352
(2018) Metacognitive beliefs and illness perceptions are associated with emotional distress in people with epilepsy. EPILEPSY & BEHAVIOR, 86. pp. 9-14.

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Abstract

<h4>Purpose</h4>Emotional distress is common in people with epilepsy (PWE) for which efficacious interventions are required. Developing evidence-based treatments should be based on testable models of the psychological mechanisms maintaining psychopathology. The Self-Regulatory Executive Function (S-REF) model proposes that maladaptive metacognitive beliefs and processes are central to the development and maintenance of emotional distress. Although preliminary support exists for the role of metacognitive beliefs in emotional distress in PWE, their role has yet to be tested when controlling for the contribution made by illness perceptions.<h4>Methods</h4>Four hundred and fifty-seven PWE completed an online survey, which assessed anxiety, depression, metacognitive beliefs, illness perceptions, general demographic factors, and epilepsy characteristics.<h4>Results</h4>Hierarchical regression analyses demonstrated that metacognitive beliefs and illness perceptions were both associated with anxiety and depression when controlling for the influence of demographic variables and epilepsy characteristics. However, metacognitive beliefs accounted for more variance in anxiety and depression than illness perceptions.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Metacognitive beliefs appear to make a greater contribution to anxiety and depression in PWE than illness perceptions. Prospective studies are now needed to establish the causal role of metacognitive beliefs in both the development and persistence of emotional distress.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Epilepsy, Anxiety, Depression, Metacognitive beliefs, Illness perceptions
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 09 Jul 2018 14:11
Last Modified: 19 Jan 2023 01:30
DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2018.07.008
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3023544