Metacognitive Processes and Emotional Disorders
This line of research investigates the central mechanisms in the development and maintenance of psychological disorders — beliefs, awareness, strategies, and executive functioning (the BASE acronym) — as conceptualised in the Metacognitive Control System model developed by Adrian Wells (2019). It aims to improve our understanding of psychological problems and disorders and to evaluate the effectiveness of evidence-based treatments that target these mechanisms. The primary goal is to contribute research that improves the formulation and treatment of psychological disorders and vulnerability in both adults and young people.
Pukstad, Erlend., Anyan, Frederick., Hjemdal, Odin., Wells, Adrian., & Nordahl, Henrik. (2026). A Test of Within-Person Temporal Dynamics in the S-REF Model: Metacognitive Beliefs, the CAS and Emotional Symptoms. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 103237.
Nordahl, Henrik., Anyan, Frederick., Hjemdal, Odin., & Wells, Adrian. (2026). Partial and directional relationships between negative metacognitive beliefs and the big five personality traits. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 17, 1897206.
Anyan, Frederick., Strand, E. R., Hjemdal, O., & Nordahl, H. (2026). Applying latent variable and network psychometric approaches for construct validation: A case study using the Metacognitions Questionnaire–30. Methods in Psychology, 100, 259.
Strand, R. Eivind., Anyan, Frederick., & Nordahl, Henrik. (2026). Do dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs contribute to interpersonal distress beyond interpersonal styles, parental bonds, depression and anxiety? A prospective within-person study. Frontiers in Psychiatry.
Ragne G.H. Gjengedal., Marit Hannisdal., Kåre Osnes., Silje E. Reme., Adrian Wells., Roland Blonk., Hilde D. Lending., Sverre U. Johnson., Suzanne E. Lagerveld., Frederick Anyan., Hans M. Nordahl., Romée B.T.W. Gerritsen., Marianne T. Bjørndal., Danielle Wright., Kenneth Sandin., Kjersti S. Bjøntegård., Jørund Schwach., & Odin Hjemdal (2025). Metacognitive therapy and work-focus for patients with depression, anxiety or comorbid depression and anxiety on sick leave: A single-centre, open-label randomized controlled trial. EClinicalMedicine.
Nordahl, H., Anyan, F., Strand, E. R., Sævik, P., Jacobsson, H., & Wells, A. (2025). Metacognitive beliefs in health anxiety: Psychometric evaluation of the MCQ-HA and a test of the metacognitive model applied to health anxiety in a Norwegian sample. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.
Cano-López, B. Julia., Nordahl, Henrik., García-Sancho, Esperanza., Anyan, Frederick., & Salguero, J. M. (2025). A four-wave survey to test the relative importance of schemas and metacognitive beliefs as within-person correlates of depressive symptoms. Journal of Psychiatric Research.
Cano-López, B. Julia; Anyan, Frederick; García-Sancho, Esperanza; Nordahl, Henrik, & Salguero, J. Martin. (2024). A within-person test of the metacognitive model: Daily dynamics between metacognitive beliefs, metacognitive strategies, and negative affect. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 102930.
Strand, Eivind Rauø; Anyan, Frederick; Hjemdal, Odin; Nordahl, Hans Morten; Nordahl, Henrik. (2024) Metacognitive beliefs prospectively predict level of personality functioning beyond maladaptive personality traits within-individuals: Results from a four-wave longitudinal study. Personality and Individual Differences, 230.
Havnen, Audun; Anyan, Frederick; Nordahl, Henrik. (2024) Metacognitive strategies lonte the association between metacognitive beliefs and perceived quality of life. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 2024, 65 (4), 656-664.
Solheim, Marte, Pukstad, Erlend., Anyan, Frederick., Strand, Eivind Rauø; Nordahl, Henrik (2024). Is mental regulation related to self-esteem? Testing a basic metacognitive model. Current Psychology 43, 21208–21217.
Strand, R. Eivind., Anyan, Frederick., Hjemdal, Odin., Nordahl, M. Hans, & Nordahl, Henrik. (2023). Dysfunctional Attitudes versus Metacognitive Beliefs as Within-Person Predictors of Depressive Symptoms Over Time. Behaviour Therapy.
Anyan, Frederick., Nordahl, H., & Hjemdal, O. (2023). The network structure of dysfunctional metacognitions, CAS strategies, and symptoms. Cogent Psychology.
Nordahl, Henrik., Anyan, Frederick., & Hjemdal, Odin. (2023). Prospective relations between dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs, metacognitive strategies, and anxiety: Results from a four-wave longitudinal mediation model. Behavior Therapy.
Strand, R. Eivind, Hjemdal, Odin., Anyan, Frederick., Nordahl, Henrik., & Nordahl, M. H., (2023). Change in Interpersonal Problems and Metacognitive Beliefs as Predictors of Improvement in Patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy.
Anyan, Frederick., Hjemdal, Odin. & Nordahl, Henrik (2022). Testing the longitudinal effect of metacognitive beliefs on the trajectory of work ability. Current Psychology.
Nordahl, Henrik., Anyan, Frederick., Hjemdal, Odin, Wells, Adrian. (2022) The network structure of dysfunctional metacognition: Analysis of the MCQ-30. Acta Psychologica.
Nordahl, Henrik., Anyan, Frederick., Hjemdal, Odin., & Wells, Adrian. (2021). Metacognition, Cognition and Social Anxiety: A Test of Temporal and Reciprocal Relationships. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 102516.