Ana V. Nikčević

The role of metacognitions in problematic Internet use

Research has suggested that negative emotions are associated with problematic Internet use. This study investigated the role of metacognitions as a mediator of the relationship between negative emotions and problematic Internet use. A sample of 97 university students completed the following questionnaires: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Boredom Proneness Scale, Metacognitions Questionnaire 30, and Internet Addiction Test. All dimensions of metacognition were found to be positively and significantly correlated with problematic Internet use. Positive and significant correlations were also observed between problematic Internet use and negative emotions (anxiety, depression and boredom). Structural equation modeling was used to test a mediation model in which negative emotions predicted metacognitions which in turn predicted problematic Internet use. The results supported the hypothesis that the relationship between negative emotions and problematic Internet use is fully mediated by metacognitions, suggesting that metacognitive theory may be relevant to understanding problematic Internet use. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Investigation of the cause of miscarriage and its influence on women's psychological distress

Objective To determine whether knowledge of the possible cause of miscarriage reduces womens long term psychological distress.

Metacognition as a mediator of the effect of test anxiety on a surface approach to studying

This study investigated the role of metacognition as a mediator of the effect of test anxiety on a surface approach to studying. The following scales were completed by 109 undergraduate social sciences students: Approaches and Study Skills Inventories for Students (ASSIST), Metacognitions Questionnaire (MCQ), and Test Anxiety Scale (TAS). Positive and significant correlations were observed between test anxiety and a surface approach to studying, and between all five dimensions of metacognition and test anxiety. Positive and significant correlations were also found between four of the five dimensions of metacognition and a surface approach to studying. Structural equation modelling was used to test a mediational model in which test anxiety predicted metacognition which in turn predicted a surface approach to studying. The results supported the hypothesis that the effect of test anxiety on a surface approach to studying is entirely mediated by metacognition. The practical implications of these findings are outlined.

Metacognition in addictive behaviors.

BACKGROUND Over the last twenty years metacognitive theory has provided a novel framework, in the form of the Self-Regulatory Executive Function (S-REF) model, for conceptualizing psychological distress (Wells & Matthews, 1994, 1996). The S-REF model proposes that psychological distress persists because of unhelpful coping styles (e.g. extended thinking and thought suppression) which are activated and maintained as a result of metacognitive beliefs. OBJECTIVE This paper describes the S-REF model and its application to addictive behaviors using a triphasic metacognitive formulation. DISCUSSION Evidence on the components of the triphasic metacognitive formulation is reviewed and the clinical implications for applying metacognitive therapy to addictive behaviors outlined.

Personality and alcohol metacognitions as predictors of weekly levels of alcohol use in binge drinking university students

This study investigated the relative contribution of the Big 5 personality factors and alcohol metacognitions in predicting weekly levels of alcohol use in binge drinking university students. No research to date has investigated whether either of these constructs predicts levels of weekly alcohol use in binge drinkers. A sample of university students (n=142) who were classified as binge drinkers were administered the following self-report instruments: NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI; Costa & McCrae, 1992), Positive Alcohol Metacognitions Scale (PAMS; Spada & Wells, 2008), Negative Alcohol Metacognitions Scale (NAMS; Spada & Wells, 2008), and Khavari Alcohol Test (KAT; Khavari & Farber, 1978). Pearson product-moment correlations showed that weekly levels of alcohol use were negatively correlated with agreeableness and conscientiousness and positively correlated with positive alcohol metacognitions about cognitive self-regulation, negative alcohol metacognitions about uncontrollability and negative alcohol metacognitions about cognitive harm. A hierarchical regression analysis revealed that conscientiousness and positive alcohol metacognitions about cognitive self-regulation were the only two significant predictors of weekly levels of alcohol use when controlling for gender. These findings show that being male, low on conscientiousness and high on positive alcohol metacognitions about cognitive self-regulation raises the risk for increased weekly levels of alcohol use in binge drinking university students. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Personal coping resources, responsibility, anxiety and depression after early pregnancy loss

This cross-sectional study aimed at assessing the relationship of feeling of personal responsibility for miscarriage and personal coping resources (self-esteem and self-efficacy), with symptoms of anxiety and depression in 138 women at 19 to 400 days following the diagnosis of a missed abortion. Multiple regression analyses controlling for demographic and obstetric variables demonstrated that higher feelings of personal responsibility, and lower personal resources were significantly associated with anxiety and depression. Self-esteem had the most salient effect on womens level of affective psychopathology; higher levels of self-esteem were associated with lower anxiety and depression. Women with high levels of self-esteem also reported significantly lower feelings of personal responsibility for miscarriage than those with low levels of self-esteem. Interventions aimed at enhancing feelings of self-worth, and at altering exaggerated feelings of personal responsibility for miscarriage, could lessen the potential negative emotional impact of pregnancy loss on women.

Metacognitions about smoking: a preliminary investigation

Preliminary research has indicated that metacognitions are involved in smoking. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether specific facets of metacognition play a role in explaining smoking initiation and perseveration. Twelve individuals, self-identified as regular smokers and scoring a positive value on the Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence, were assessed using a semi-structured interview to investigate the following: (1) whether they held positive and/or negative metacognitive beliefs about smoking; (2) what their main goal in smoking was, and how they knew if they had achieved their goal; (3) how they directed their focus of attention when smoking; and (4) what they perceived the advantages and disadvantages of these attentional strategies to be. Results indicated that participants endorsed both positive and negative metacognitive beliefs about smoking and that the goal of smoking was to regulate negative emotion and/or to enhance cognitive functioning. Participants reported that they relied either on an internal signal, such as improvement in the emotional/cognitive state, or on a physical sign, in the form of a finished cigarette, to determine if they had achieved their goal. During an episode of smoking, half of the participants reported focusing their attention internally on thoughts and feelings or the sensations of smoking. The remainder of participants reported either an exclusively external focus of attention (e.g., the environment) or a varied focus of attention. Most participants were able to identify advantages to their attentional strategies, whereas two reported perceived disadvantages. The implications of the findings are discussed.

Metacognitions Across the Continuum of Smoking Dependence

This study investigated the role of metacognitions in high-dependency smokers, low-dependency smokers and non-smokers. A sample of high-dependency smokers (n = 27), low-dependency smokers (n = 33), and non-smokers (n = 43) completed self-report measures of negative emotion, metacognitions and smoking dependence. Results indicated that high-dependency smokers scored higher than non-smokers on Positive Beliefs about Worry. Furthermore on Beliefs about the Need to Control Thoughts high and low-dependency smokers scored higher than non-smokers. A logistic regression analysis indicated that Beliefs about the Need to Control Thoughts were the only predictor of classification as a dependent smoker when controlling for negative emotion. These results are consistent with a metacognitive conceptualization of smoking dependence.

Parental overprotection and metacognitions as predictors of worry and anxiety

BACKGROUND Parental overprotection may have a direct effect on worry through hindering childrens exploration experiences and preventing the learning of action-oriented coping strategies (Cheron, Ehrenreich and Pincus, 2009; Nolen-Hoeksema, Wolfson, Mumme and Guskin, 1995) and an indirect effect through fostering the development of maladaptive metacognitions that are associated with the activation of worry and the escalation of anxiety (Wells, 2000). AIM The aim was to investigate the relative contribution of recalled parental overprotection in childhood and metacognitions in predicting current levels of worry. METHOD A community sample (n = 301) was administered four self-report instruments to assess parental overprotection, metacognitions, anxiety and worry. RESULTS Metacognitions were found to predict levels of worry independently of gender, anxiety and parental overprotection. They were also found to predict anxiety independently of gender, worry and parental overprotection. CONCLUSIONS The combination of a family environment perceived to be characterized by overprotection and high levels of maladaptive metacognitions are a risk factor for the development of worry.

Desire thinking across the continuum of nicotine dependence

Introduction: Desire thinking is a voluntary cognitive process involving verbal and imaginal elaboration of a desired target. Recent research has highlighted the role of desire thinking in the maintenance of addictive disorders over and above that of other psychological antecedents including negative affect and urges. The goal of this research project was to explore the role of desire thinking across the continuum of nicotine dependence. Method: A sample of 156 smokers recruited from the general population completed measures of negative affect, smoking urges, desire thinking and nicotine dependence. Results: Individuals high on nicotine dependence reported significantly higher scores on desire thinking dimensions controlling for age, gender, negative affect and smoking urges. In addition, the verbal perseveration component of desire thinking was the strongest predictor of nicotine dependence independently of negative affect and smoking urges across the nicotine dependence spectrum. Conclusions: Findings suggest that desire thinking may be a risk factor for nicotine dependence and that cognitive-behavioural interventions for treating nicotine dependence may benefit from targeting specifically desire thinking.