Research Highlight: Worry Postponement Significantly Reduces Metacognitive Beliefs and Worry
A recent study by Krzikalla et al (2024) evaluated the efficacy of worry postponement in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and hypochondriasis. Participants were
New MCT International Masterclass
Have you been interested in becoming and MCTI Registered Therapist? Now is your chance! The next cohort for our International Masterclass has launched. Check out
Mental Health Innovation of the Year: Metacognitive Therapy Makes the Short list
Congratulations to the MCT-PATHWAY and PATHWAY Beacons teams (led by Prof. Adrian Wells) on their shortlisting for Mental Health Innovation of the Year at the
MCT-Online: Receive Metacognitive Therapy Remotely
MCT-Online offers MCT remotely to people with psychological distress such as anxiety, depression, trauma and life difficulties. Our therapists are trained at the MCT Institute®
Masterclass 2023: Copenhagen
Are you interested in becoming an MCT Registered Therapist?? Our Copenhagen masterclass is open for registration. To find out more click here.
Research Highlight: Self Help Metacognitive Therapy Is Feasible To Deliver to Patients With Cardiovascular Disease
One in three patients with cardiovascular disease experiences increased anxiety and/or depression. However current treatments are limited in efficacy in reducing anxiety and depression. Wells
New Masterclasses 2022 & 2023
We have three exciting Masterclasses open for registration for 2022 and 2023. Our new International Online Masterclass in MCT begins in September 2022. All sessions
Research Highlight: A History of Metacognitive Therapy From Cognitive Science to Clinical Practice
Capobianco and Nordahl (2021) recently published an article taking one through the history of Metacognitive Therapy. The article highlights how MCT was developed from cognitive
International MCT Masterclass Training
We are excited to announce a brand new online MCT masterclass training programme! Training will be delivered online (via zoom) by Professor Adrian Wells and
Research Highlight: Thought control strategies predict the extent of suicidal thinking
Study of day-to-day experiences published in Psychiatry Research finds that thought control strategies predict the extent of suicidal thinking, supporting application of the metacognitive model
Group-MCT Significantly Improves Anxiety and Depression in Cardiac Rehabilitation Patients
A study, led by Professor Adrian Wells at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) and the University of Manchester (UoM), and funded by
Research Highlight: New Study Comparing Metacognitive Therapy vs Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Depression
Major new study published in Scientific Reports examines how effective MCT is compared to CBT in treating depression. Read the results here:https://rdcu.be/b3693
Research Study Needs Your Help
Researchers at the University of Manchester and Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust are looking at the mental health impact of coronavirus. They are
COVID-19: MCTI® Statement for Therapists
COVID-19: MCTI Statement for Therapists MCTI would like to issue the following statement to registered therapists, supervisors and therapists in training: You must act in
Does Metacognition Play a Role in Resilience?
Operators of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) have various stressors such as cognitive demands and social demands. Dysfunctional metacognitions (i.e. higher negative metacognitive beliefs) may increase
Innovation in Psychotherapy, Challenges, and Opportunities
Schweiger et al (2019) evaluates the barriers to innovation and development of therapeutic methods from evidenced based techniques. The paper highlights how Metacognitive therapies differs
A Feasibility Study of MCT for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Youth
Preliminary studies highlight that MCT is an effective treatment for PTSD in adults, however less is known on the acceptability, feasibility and efficacy of MCT
A Pilot Feasibility Trial of Group Metacognitive Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder
MCT has shown to be an effective treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in an individual format, however less is known about the effectiveness of
Brief Metacognitive Therapy for Emotional Distress in Adult Cancer Survivors
Psychological distress is common after completion of cancer treatment. However, current psychological interventions for anxiety and depression in cancer patients is limited in efficacy. Fisher
Are Metacognitive Beliefs an Underlying Mechanism of Trait Anxiety?
Trait-Anxiety, Neuroticism and negative affect are constructs that have been associated with psychopathology and psychological vulnerability (i.e. risk factors for developing psychological disorder). However, these
Attention Performance Improvement Using the Attention Training Technique
The attention training technique aims to improve attention control and attention flexibility. Barth et al. (2019) evaluated if the ATT improves attention performance. Participants completed
Metacognitive Therapy for Alcohol Use Disorder
Caselli et al (2018) conducted the first case series of Metacognitive Therapy for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Five patients received 12 one-hour sessions of individual
Group Cognitive Behaviour Therapy or Group Metacognitive Therapy for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?
CBT is commonly recommended for treating OCD however treatment outcomes have not been benchmarked in real world settings. Benchmarking, is a clinical audit that compares
Mechanisms of Change in MCT vs CBT for Anxiety Disorders
Treatment outcome in psychological therapy is often based on presence or absence of a disorder or severity of diagnostic symptoms using scores from questionnaires. However
Metacognitive Beliefs Predict Mental Contamination
Following a sexual trauma, women commonly report mental contamination (i.e. feelings of dirtiness or distress without physical contact). According to the S-REF model metacognitive beliefs
Post Traumatic Stress and Executive Control Deficits
Bardeen & Fergus (2018) evaluated if executive control deficits increase the impact of metacognitive beliefs on post-traumatic stress symptoms. Trauma-exposed adults (n = 469) completed
Attention Training Technique associated with neurophysiological changes
A study published in the special Research Topic on Metaognitive Therapy in Frontiers of Psychology finds that the Attention Training Technique is associated with neurophysiological
Research Highlight: MCT vs CBT for Generalized Anxiety Disorder
A clinical trial just published in British Journal of Psychiatry Open finds MCT to be more effective than gold standard CBT in the treatment of generalised anxiety
Case Study: ATT for Auditory Hallucinations in Schizo-Affective Disorder
Research highlight: Carter & Wells (2018) evaluated the use of the attention training technique on auditory hallucinations in schizo-affective disorder in a single case study.
Neurophysiological Correlates of the Attention Training Technique
Rosenbaum et al (2018) evaluated the neurophysiological correlates of the Attention Training Technique (ATT). More specifically they aimed to evlauate the effect of the componenets
MCQ-30 Validation in an At Risk for Psychosis Population
Research Highlight: Bright et al (2018) validated the MCQ-30 in an at risk for psychosis population. A comprehensive range of psychometric tests including confirmatory and
PATHWAY Study Protocol
The trial protocol for the PATHWAY study which is evaluating group-based metacognitive therapy for anxiety and depression in cardiac patients has recently been published in
MCT found to improve mental health outomces: summary from a meta-analysis of case studies
Rochat, Manolov & Billieux (2017) conducted a meta-analysis of single case studies to evaluate the efficacy of MCT in improving mental health. 14 studies were
Attention Training Technique can improve delay of gratification in children
A recent study provides further evidence that the Attention Training Technique can improve delay of gratification in young children. Such delay is considered important because
Stress Recovery: what strategy you use makes a difference!
Capobianco, Morris & Wells (2018) compared the effects of worry, rumination and distraction on affective and physiological recovery from stress. Skin conductance was used to
The effect of thought importance on stress responses
Capobianco, Morrison & Wells (2017) conducted an experimental manipulation of negative metacognitive beliefs to evaluate the effect of thought importance (negative metacognitive belief) on stress
Metacognitive Therapy or Metacognitive training: What’s in a name?
Capobianco & Wells (2017) recently wrote a letter to the editor regarding the importance of labelling psychological therapies appropriately, in particular the use of metacognitive
Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) vs Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
The most common treatment approaches for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).Although both treatments
Is a problem shared a problem doubled?
Dr Robin Bailey, a senior lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire wrote an article on co-rumination. Dr. Bailey highlighted the negative impacts of co-rumination
Metacognitive Therapy versus Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
Capobianco, Reeves, Morrison & Wells (2017) coducted a feasibility trial comparing group metacognitive therapy (MCT) versus mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) in a transdiagnostic group. Patients
European Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies Conference 2017
Last week we attended the European Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies Conference. It was an exciting few days of workshops, keynotes and symposiums! Here’s
New study on Metacognition and OCD Symptoms in Psychosis!
Research highlight: Very interesting article on the role of metacognition and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in psychosis. A recent study by Hagen, Solem, Opstad, Hansen & Hagen
New study investigating the role of Metacognitive Beliefs, Symptom Severity, and Cognitive Behavioural Factors in Social Anxiety & Work Status
Research Feature: Social Anxiety and Work Status: The Role of Negative Metacognitive Beliefs, Symptom Severity and Cognitive-Behavioural Factors (Nordahl & Wells, 2017) Psychological health has
Exciting study comparing MCT versus disorder-specific CBT
Research Feature: A recent study compared Metacognitive therapy versus disorder-specific CBT for comorbid anxiety disorders. Johnson, Hoffart, Nordahl, and Wampold (2017) found that both treatments
Multidimensional Scoring of MCQ-30
Research Feature: Multidimensional scoring of the MCQ-30 is supported in an independent study by Fergus and Bardeen but the total score is also useful. For
Metacognition: A Common Factor Across Psychological Disorders
A recent meta-analysis by Sun, Zhu and Ho-Wai So (2017) found that metacognition was common across psychological disorders. The results support the S-REF model which
New evidence comparing the metacognitive model and cognitive behavioural therapy model for social anxiety disorder.
A recent study by Nordahl & Wells (2017) found that the metacognitive model that emphasised negative metacognitive beliefs about the uncontrollability and danger of thoughts and
Exciting research on cognitive & metacognitive predictors of symptom improvement in social anxiety disorder!
Exciting research on cognitive & metacognitive predictors of symptom improvement in social anxiety disorder! A recent study found that although both cognitive and metacognitive beliefs
Treatment enhanced with MCT techniques is highly effective in treating social anxiety
Treatment enhanced with MCT techniques is highly effective in treating social anxiety. Please click here to view the attached document. Read the paper here: https://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/447013.
Long term follow-up of generalized anxiety treated with MCT shows superiority over CBT is maintained
A 30-month follow-up study of patients treated with MCT or Intolerance of uncertainty therapy showed that both treatments maintained their gains but MCT remained superior
Metacognitive Therapy has advantages over Exposure Therapy in traumatic stress
In a recent study published in a special issue of the Journal: Cognitive Therapy and Research metacogniitve therapy was compared with exposure therapy and a
New Study suggests metacognitive therapy could be more effective than CBT
A recently published meta-analysis by independent researchers at the Universities of Copenhagen and Amsterdam examined the effectiveness of metacognitive therapy (MCT) for anxiety and depression.
Can the metacognitive model of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and chronic worry in adults be applied to children?
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and University of Sussex report 2 studies in: Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology that begin to answer
New Independent Study Finds Metacognitive Therapy to be More Effective in Treating Worry and Generalized Anxiety
A Dutch group of Clinical Psychologists have published the results of a large scale trial examining the effects of MCT when compared with a form
Postraumatic Stress Disorder Responds Well to Metacognitive Therapy
A randomised controlled trial just published in Journal of Clinical Psychology demonstrated that 8 sessions of MCT was highly effective in the treatment of chronic
