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Cited by 30Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentPsychological Treatments and Assessments

Are there specific metacognitive processes associated with anxiety disorders in youth?

Open access
Terri Bacow·2010·Psychology Research and Behavior Management
DOI 10.2147/prbm.s11785PMC PMC3218764
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Abstract

While Wells' metacognitive model of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) posits that certain metacognitive processes, such as negative meta-worry (negative beliefs about worry), are more strongly associated with symptoms of GAD than other anxiety disorders in adults, research has yet to determine whether the same pattern is true for younger individuals. We examined the relationship between several metacognitive processes and anxiety disorder diagnostic status in a sample of 98 youth aged 7-17 years. Twenty youth with GAD were compared with similarly sized groups of youth with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD, n = 18), social phobia (SOC, n = 20), separation anxiety disorder (SAD, n = 20), and healthy controls who were not patients (NONP, n = 20) using a self-report measure of metacognition adapted for use with young people in this age range (Metacognitions Questionnaire for Children). Contrary to expectations, only one specific metacognitive process was significantly associated with an anxiety disorder diagnosis, in that the controls endorsed a greater degree of cognitive monitoring (self-reported awareness of one's thoughts) than those with SAD. In addition, there was a trend indicating that nonpatients scored higher than youth with GAD on this scale. These surprising results suggest potentially differing patterns in the relationships between symptoms and metacognitive awareness in anxious youth, depending on the type of anxiety disorder presentation.

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  • In the adult literature, positive beliefs about worry are associated with GAD and worry, but compared to negative beliefs about worry, positive beliefs about worry are not as specific to GAD and worry as negative beliefs about worry.

    “In the adult literature, PBW have been found to be associated with GAD and worry, but compared to NBW, PBW is not as specific to GAD and worry as NBW is (Bacow et al., 2010;Bacow et al., 2009;Dugas & Robichaud, 2007;Fialko et al., 2012;Holmes, Donovan, Farrell, et al., Under Review;Holmes, Donovan, & Farrell, Under Review).”

    From The efficacy of a group-based, disorder-specific treatment program for childhood GAD - A randomized controlled trial (2014) · cites this paper as Bacow et al., 2010

    The Introduction reports that an adult study found diagnostic differences in negative meta-worry but not positive meta-worry, supporting the claim that positive beliefs are less specific to GAD. It does not establish the separate claim that positive beliefs about worry are associated with GAD and worry in adults. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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  • There is preliminary yet accumulating evidence that children who have a tendency to excessively worry also have difficulty tolerating uncertainty, have a negative problem orientation, attempt to avoid threatening cognitive stimuli, and hold negative beliefs about worry.

    “There is preliminary yet accumulating evidence, that children who have a tendency to excessively worry, also have difficulty tolerating uncertainty, have a negative problem orientation, attempt to avoid threatening cognitive stimuli and hold negative beliefs about worry (Bacow, May, Brody, & Pincus, 2010;Bacow et al., 2009;Barahmand, 2008;Fialko, Bolton, & Perrin, 2012;Fisak, Mentuccia, & Przewors”

    From The efficacy of a group-based, disorder-specific treatment program for childhood GAD - A randomized controlled trial (2014) · cites this paper as Bacow et al., 2010

    The Discussion (page not provided) describes cognitive avoidance of upsetting thoughts or threatening imagery in anxious youth and reports that negative beliefs about worry are common at younger ages. It also says this study did not find greater negative meta-worry in youth with GAD than in nonpatients. Our copy does not support the additional claims about difficulty tolerating uncertainty or a negative problem orientation. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The null results for PBW are consistent with recent research suggesting that NBW may be more related to worry than PBW in young children.

    “Finally, the null results pertaining to PBW are consistent with recent research suggesting that NBW may be more related to worry than PBW in young children (Bacow et al., 2010;Bacow et al., 2009;Holmes, Donovan, Farrell, et al., Under Review;Holmes, Donovan, & Farrell, Under Review).”

    From The efficacy of a group-based, disorder-specific treatment program for childhood GAD - A randomized controlled trial (2014) · cites this paper as Bacow et al., 2010

    The Introduction (page unavailable) reports that negative meta-worry was significantly associated with self-reported excessive worry in youth aged 7–17. It does not establish that negative beliefs are more strongly related to worry than positive beliefs, or report that comparison specifically for young children. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. [2]Wells A Emotional disorders and metacognition: Innovative cognitive therapy Chichester Wiley 2000
  2. [18]Jacobi DM Thought appraisals, beliefs and obsessional symptoms: Relations between parental beliefs and child symptoms Dissertation Chicago, IL Chicago Medical School 2004
  3. [21]American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) Washington, DC American Psychiatric Association 2000
  4. [39]Wellman HM Metamemory revisited Chi MTH Contributions to Human Development: Trends in Memory Development 2 Basel Karger 1983

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Authors
Bacow, T.
Affiliations
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (US)
Corresponding author
Terri Bacow
Venue
Psychology Research and Behavior Management
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2010-09
Volume
3
Pages
81
ISSN
1179-1578 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.2147/prbm.s11785
PMC
PMC3218764
OpenAlex
W2069291702
Cited by
30
References
41
Citations by year
2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 4 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 2
FWCI
0.83
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Psychology Research and Behavior Management (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • Dove Medical Press (Taylor and Francis Group) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychological Treatments and Assessments
Keywords
metacognition, anxiety disorders, youth, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, cognitive monitoring

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