Metacognitions, Metacognitive Processes And Met... Apr 2026

: The authors argue that psychological distress is not just about what we think, but how we think. They describe a cognitive architecture where emotional disorders are maintained by a "Cognitive Attentional Syndrome" (CAS).

The article you are likely looking for is titled by Adrian Wells and Gerald Matthews . It was published in the Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy journal in 1994. Metacognitions, metacognitive processes and met...

: Rather than challenging the content of thoughts (as in standard CBT), the authors propose that therapy should target the metacognitive processes that keep the mind stuck in a loop of distress. Why It Matters : The authors argue that psychological distress is

: The article identifies two types of beliefs that drive these processes: It was published in the Clinical Psychology &

: Beliefs that thoughts are uncontrollable or dangerous (e.g., "My thoughts will drive me crazy").

This article shifted the focus of clinical psychology from "What is the patient thinking?" to "Why is the patient thinking this way?" It explains why some people can experience a negative thought and let it go, while others spiral into anxiety or depression because their metacognitive beliefs force them to engage with the thought.