Effectiveness of Metacognitive Therapy in Reduction of Depression Symptoms, Anxiety Symptoms and Dysfunctional Attitudes in Major Depression Disorder

Metacognitive therapy is based on the principle that meta-cognitive is very important for understanding the way of cognitive function and the way of producing our conscious experience about ourselves and the world around us. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of metacognitive therapy in improving major depressive patients. In a single case experimental study, three patients were followed up at 1, 3 and 6 months by using multiple-baselines in 8 sessions. Instruments were included structured clinical interview, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS). The metacognitive therapy created significant changes in depression and anxiety symptoms and dysfunctional attitudes of the depressive patients. The metacognitive therapy focusing on the control of cognitive process instead of cognitive content could be effective in treatment of the patients with major depression.