Examining the incremental contribution of metacognitive beliefs beyond content-specific beliefs in relation to posttraumatic stress in a community sample.

Fergus, Thomas A.; Bardeen, Joseph R.

doi:10.1037/tra0000247

Cited by 19Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ResearchAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesMemory Processes and Influences

Examining the incremental contribution of metacognitive beliefs beyond content-specific beliefs in relation to posttraumatic stress in a community sample.

Fergus, Thomas A., Bardeen, Joseph R.·2017·Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy

DOI 10.1037/tra0000247

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Abstract

Objective Cognitive-behavioral models of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) propose that the content of one's thoughts, including negative beliefs about the self, others, and world, play a fundamental role in our understanding and treatment of PTSD. Metacognitive theory suggests that metacognitive beliefs (i.e., beliefs about thinking), rather than content-specific beliefs, underlie PTSD. The present study provided the first known examination of the incremental contribution of metacognitive beliefs and trauma-related cognitions in relation to posttraumatic stress. Method Community adults recruited through an online crowdsourcing website who reported experiencing a criterion A traumatic event (N = 299) completed self-report measures of the study variables. Results Results from multiple linear regression analyses indicated that metacognitive beliefs of the uncontrollability and danger of thinking shared associations with each posttraumatic stress symptom cluster after accounting for the effects of content-specific beliefs and other covariates. The individual content-specific beliefs did not consistently share associations with posttraumatic stress symptoms in the regression analyses. The contribution of the individual content-specific beliefs to posttraumatic stress symptoms was consistently attenuated or rendered nonsignificant after accounting for metacognitive beliefs. Conclusions These results are consistent with metacognitive theory in suggesting that metacognitive belie…

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Findings in mental health settings demonstrate that metacognitive beliefs are associated with anxiety and depression and that negative metacognitive beliefs of uncontrollability and danger show the strongest and most reliable relationships with these symptoms.
“The results of the review mirror findings in mental health settings, which demonstrate that metacognitive beliefs are associated with anxiety and depression [29, 70–77] and that negative metacognitive beliefs of uncontrollability and danger show the strongest and most reliable relationships with these symptoms [29].”
From Metacognitive beliefs and their relationship with anxiety and depression in physical illnesses: A systematic review (2020) · cites this paper as [71]

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Authors: Fergus, T. A., & Bardeen, J. R.
Affiliations: Baylor University (US)
Auburn University (US)
ORCID: Fergus, Thomas A.
Bardeen, Joseph R.
Venue: Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Published: 2017-11
Volume: 9
Issue: 6
Pages: 723-730
ISSN: 1942-9681 (ISSN-L)
1942-969X
DOI: 10.1037/tra0000247
OpenAlex: W2565403943
Cited by: 19
References: 39
Citations by year: 2026: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 4
FWCI: 2.68
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Psychological Trauma Theory Research Practice and Policy (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
Keywords: metacognitive beliefs, post-traumatic stress disorder, trauma-related cognitions, metacognitive theory, posttraumatic stress symptoms, community-dwelling adults, traumatic events
MeSH terms: Metacognition, Adult, Anxiety, Culture, Depression, Factor Analysis, Statistical, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Models, Psychological, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Linear Models, Young Adult, Self Report

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Examining the incremental contribution of metacognitive beliefs beyond content-specific beliefs in relation to posttraumatic stress in a community sample.

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