This study tested predictions of the metacognitive model of post-traumatic stress disorder (Wells, 2000) concerning relationships between stress symptoms and maladaptive control of thoughts. We tested the hypothesis that the tendency to use worry as a means of controlling thoughts will be positively predictive of stress symptoms. In doing so, overlaps with symptomatic worry, stress symptoms, and stress exposure at time 1 was controlled. One hundred and ten (110) college students were assessed twice, over a three-month period. Consistent with predictions, use of worry as a thought control strategy made a significant and independent contribution to the prediction of stress symptoms. The findings provide further support for Wells' metacognitive model of stress reactions.

The control of cognition is fundamental to psychological well being. One dimension recently explored by Sugiura, Sugiura and Tanno (2013) is the perceived ability to refrain from catastrophic thinking-a construct that could be a marker of several factors. The current paper recommends deeper consideration in terms of metacognitive theory and exemplifies this by testing the effect of a strategy that focuses on abstaining from processes (detached mindfulness) vs. transforming content (acceptance, brief exposure). Fifty-six participants (M age = 21.5 yr., range = 18-42) were randomly assigned to detached mindfulness, acceptance, exposure, or a control group before watching a stressful film that induced intrusive images. Afterwards, they engaged in their respective strategies for 5 min. and the frequency of intrusive images was rated. Detached mindfulness was the only manipulation that was associated with a statistically significant lower frequency of intrusions than the control condition. It is argued that assessment of perceived skills to refrain from thinking should be conceptualized within a metacognitive framework that distinguish process- and content-oriented strategies and address the question: When is a strategy a true refrain?