Metacognition, cognition and social anxiety: A test of temporal and reciprocal relationships. (March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nordahl, Henrik; Anyan, Frederick; Hjemdal, Odin; Wells, Adrian
• Is Part Of: Journal of anxiety disorders. Volume 86(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-03
• Subjects: Metacognitive beliefs -- Cognitive beliefs -- Self-beliefs -- Social anxiety -- Social phobia -- Metacognitive model; Anxiety -- Periodicals; Anxiety Disorders -- Periodicals; Angoisse -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 616.8522
• DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2021.102516
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0887-6185

Abstract

Abstract: Cognitive models of social anxiety give prominence to dysfunctional schemas about the social self as the key underlying factors in maladaptive self-processing strategies and social anxiety symptoms. In contrast, the metacognitive model argues that beliefs about cognition represent a central belief domain underlying psychopathology and cognitive schemas as products of a thinking style regulated by metacognition. The present study therefore evaluated the temporal and reciprocal relations between metacognitive beliefs, social self-beliefs, and social anxiety symptoms to shed light on possible causal relationships among them. Eight hundred and sixty-eight individuals gathered at convenience participated in a four-wave online survey with each measurement wave 6 weeks apart. Using autoregressive cross-lagged panel models, we found significant temporal and reciprocal relations between metacognition, social self-beliefs (schemas), and social anxiety. Whilst social self-beliefs prospectively predicted social anxiety this relationship was reciprocal. Metacognitive beliefs prospectively predicted both social interaction anxiety and social self-beliefs, but this was not reciprocal. The results are consistent with metacognitive beliefs causing social anxiety and social self-beliefs and imply that negative social self-beliefs might be a product of metacognition. The clinical implications are that metacognitive beliefs should be the central target in treatments of social anxiety. Highlights: Cognitive models of social anxiety give prominence to negative self-beliefs. The metacognitive model give prominence to beliefs about cognition (metacognitions). Social self-beliefs caused symptoms of social anxiety. Metacognitive beliefs caused symptoms of social anxiety and social self-beliefs. Metacognitive beliefs rather than social self-beliefs should be targeted in treatment.