Relationships between metacognitive beliefs and anxiety and depression in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis

As hypothesized in the Self-Regulatory Executive Function (S-REF) model, metacognitive beliefs are associated with anxiety and depression in adults. An important question is the extent to which such effects are present in children and adolescents, with the implication that the model may also apply to young people. The aim of this meta-analysis was to synthesize results on the nature and magnitude of associations between metacognitive beliefs and anxiety and depression in children and adolescents.

Systematic searches were conducted to identify studies that investigated: (1) group differences in metacognitive beliefs in clinical compared to non-clinical samples or (2) correlations between metacognitive beliefs and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Forty papers were identified comprising a total sample of 9,887 participants aged 7-18 years. Meta-analyses revealed that clinical samples endorsed significantly elevated metacognitive beliefs on four out of the five domains measured (i.e., negative beliefs about worry, cognitive confidence, need for control, and cognitive self-consciousness, with the only exception being positive beliefs about worry) compared to non-clinical samples with a small to large effect (Hedges' gs = 0.45-1.22). Moreover, all five domains of metacognitive beliefs were significantly and positively correlated with symptoms of anxiety and depression of a small to large effect (rs = .24-.53). Negative beliefs about worry showed the strongest relationship with clinical status and the magnitude of symptoms.

The number of studies did not allow for an evaluation of metacognitive beliefs at a disorder-specific level.

In line with the S-REF model, our findings provide evidence of robust cross-sectional relationships between metacognitions and both anxiety and depression in childhood and adolescence.