Metacognitions, intolerance of uncertainty and worry: An investigation in adolescents

Do Metacognitions and Intolerance of Uncertainty Predict Worry in Everyday Life? An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

“…Similarly, in a recent randomized controlled trial, metacognitive therapy was found to be more efficacious for the reduction of worry than cognitive therapy targeting IoU (van der Heiden, Muris, & van der Molen, 2012). Although negative metacognitions thus appear to show a closer association with worry than the core component of the IoU model, there is some evidence that the combination of both cognitive variables may be related to increased explanatory power showing either additive effects (e.g., Thielsch et al, 2015) or even interactive effects (e.g. ; Ruggiero et al, 2012).…”

“…Evidence regarding the role of positive metacognitions is mixed. Although significant associations between positive metacognitions and excessive worry have been found (Iijima & Tanno, 2013;Thielsch, Andor, & Ehring, 2015), this association appears to be somewhat less robust than for negative metacognitions; in addition, evidence for a specificity of positive metacognitions in GAD is largely lacking (Davis & Valentiner, 2000;Ruscio & Borkovec, 2004).…”

“…However, only a handful of studies to date have investigated the role of metacognitions and IoU within the same study. Results of these studies showed that although both constructs were significant predictors of worry, negative metacognition emerged as the stronger prognostic construct when both variables were considered together (Gerlach et al, 2008;Khawaja & McMahon, 2011;Thielsch et al, 2015). Similarly, in a recent randomized controlled trial, metacognitive therapy was found to be more efficacious for the reduction of worry than cognitive therapy targeting IoU (van der Heiden, Muris, & van der Molen, 2012).…”

Metacognitive, Emotional, and Avoidance Predictors of Generalized Anxiety Disorder

“…As noted above, problem-solving is reflected in multiple worry-related constructs, yet there are differences in the predictive power of different variables. For example, whereas the intolerance of uncertainty is a strong predictor (e.g., Dugas et al, 2007) of GAD, there is limited support for the predictive power of positive beliefs about worrying (Wells, 2006), although in adolescents Thielsch, Andor, & Ehring (2015) found both positive and negative metacognitions predicted scores on the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), along with intolerance of uncertainty. A relatively new construct called responsibility to continue thinking (RESP; Sugiura, 2007;Sugiura, Sugiura, & Tanno, 2013), which is the belief that one needs to engage in prolonged thinking about stressful problems, offers a promising candidate for our research.…”

Factorial validity and measurement invariance of the uncertainty response scale

“…Early results on IU pointed out this construct as having a unique contribution as a predictor of the development of excessive worry (Dugas, Freeston & Ladoucer, 1997;Freeston et al, 1994), as a predictor of worry in daily life, with a lower contribution to worry/generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) than negative metacognitions (Thielsch, Andor, & Ehring, 2015a;Thielsch, Andor, & Ehring, 2015b), presenting a strong association with feelings of worry that could not be explained by other related factors, such as anxiety or depression (Buhr & Dugas, 2002), as well as processes as perfectionism and perceived control (Buhr & Dugas, 2006). Results on the combined effects of fear of anxiety and IU on worry, demonstrated this fear increases in association with IU, enhancing also the levels of worry (Buhr & Dugas, 2009).…”