Does meta-cognitive theory enhance our understanding of pathological worry and anxiety?

This study tests several tenets of Wells’ meta-cognitive theory of Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) by using the Meta-Cognitions Questionnaire (MCQ), which was designed to measure meta-cognition in GAD. The MCQ Cognitive Confidence subscale (MCQ-CC) predicted anxiety symptoms even after controlling for both trait anxiety and trait worry. In addition, the MCQ Uncontrollability and Danger (MCQ-UD) subscale had the highest correlation with a discriminant function that correctly classified 80.6% of nonanxious, nonworried-anxious, and GAD participants. Finally, participants who met GAD criteria exhibited significantly higher levels of meta-worry than nonanxious and nonworried-anxious participants, and exhibited both positive and negative beliefs about worry. These results offer additional support for Wells’ meta-cognitive theory of GAD, but also highlight some of its limitations with respect to predictive validity.