Metacognitive Therapy for Social Anxiety in Youth

The transdiagnostic Metacognitive model posits that psychological disorder stems from the activation of a perseverative thinking style called the CAS (Cognitive Attentional Syndrome). This has 3 key elements: worry/rumination, threat-focussed attention and unhelpful coping behaviours. Each of these elements results in extended cognitive responses to negative thoughts, prolonging negative emotions and maintaining an individual's sense of threat. The CAS arises from an individual's positive and negative metacognitive beliefs (beliefs about cognition). Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) aims to bring the CAS under control by modifying metacognitive beliefs and enabling individuals to develop new reactions to negative thoughts.