title: An empirical test of the metacognitive model of obsessive-compulsive symptoms: replication and extension.
abstract: The aim of the current study was to further investigate the role of metacognitive beliefs implicated in Wells' (1997) model of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The metacognitive domains of thought-fusion beliefs and beliefs about rituals were positively correlated with obsessive-compulsive symptoms in a community control sample (N=269) and in an OCD sample (N=57). The OCD sample had significantly more obsessive-compulsive symptoms as well as higher scores on the metacognitive constructs than the control sample. In order to perform a more stringent test of the metacognitive model of OCD and to explore the role of a third metacognitive construct, that of stop signals, a second study was conducted using a community control sample (N=304). All three metacognitive constructs were positively correlated with obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Thought-fusion beliefs and beliefs about rituals predicted obsessive-compulsive symptoms, even when controlling for worry, threat, and non-metacognitive beliefs such as perfectionism/certainty and responsibility. Results of this study provide further evidence for the importance of metacognitions in OCD.
authors.affiliation: Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Department of Psychology, Norway. stian.solem@svt.ntnu.no
authors.forename: Stian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Solem
authors.forename: Samuel G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: Peter L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Patrick A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Vogel
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wells
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002562:Ceremonial Behavior; D003071:Cognition; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires