Depression, cognitive skill, and metacognitive skill in problem solving

Abstract

Two experiments investigated the relationship between four factors: depression;.two types of metacognitive skill; and cognitive skill. Experiment 1 manipulated depression in 40 college students with a Velten procedure to examine its effects on three skills: the ability to accurately answer certain types of math problems (cognitive skill); the ability to accurately predict one's ability to answer the problems (metacognitive knowledge about cognition); and the ability to accurately rate one's performance after attempting to answer the problems (metacognitive monitoring of cognitive performance). Experiment 2 measured these skills in 48 college students with severe, mild, and no depression. As predicted, the results of both studies indicated that depressed subjects were less skilful than nondepressed subjects on both types of metacognitive abilities. Metacognitive skills were not correlated with cognitive skill, supporting the unique nature of metacognitive skills. In addition, level of depression and metacognitive skill were not related to differences in response bias or performance expectancy. The implications for various models of depression are discussed.

The Impact of Intensive Mindfulness Training on Attentional Control, Cognitive Style, and Affect

“…The present results support the notion that there may be a relationship between decreased depressive symptoms and improved executive cognition in a sample demonstrating changes within the non-clinical range of depressed mood. This is consistent with the few previous studies that have investigated the relationship in this population, which have found that depressive symptoms tend to impair executive cognition (Berndt & Berndt, 1980;Farrin, Hull, Unwin, Wykes, & David, 2003;Slife & Weaver, 1992). However, there is ongoing debate as to the extent and specific nature of this dysfunction.…”

Depressive Symptoms and Academic Self-Image in Adolescence

“…On the other side, school difficulties and frustrations can trigger sad affects and depression. Learning disorders have been frequently associated with depressive symptomatology, which is many times higher in learning-disabled subjects than in normal controls [16,17]; depressive feelings are strongly connected with cognitive and metacognitive functioning [18,19]. However, negative self-perceptions can be found in normally achieving students [20].…”

The Importance of Metacognitive Reading Strategy Awareness in Reading Comprehension

“…If done properly, it is an invaluable tool for better controlling and takes care while reading, and it requires a useful base for evaluation. It enables students to determine whether the resources they have available are sufficient and are being well used, whether the ability they have are sufficient and suitable, and whether they are doing what they planned to do (Slife & Weaver, 1992). Therefore, monitoring refers to personal conscious awareness of comprehension and text performance.…”