Dodd Rachel, Fisher Peter L, Makin Selina, Moore Perry, Cherry Mary Gemma
Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Front Psychol. 2021 Feb 26;12:609068. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.609068. eCollection 2021.
Approximately half of all people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) experience persistent or recurrent emotional distress, yet little is known about the psychological processes that maintain emotional distress in this population. The self-regulatory executive functioning (S-REF) model specifies that maladaptive metacognitive beliefs and processes are central to the development and maintenance of emotional distress. This study explored whether maladaptive metacognitive beliefs are associated with emotional distress after controlling for demographic factors, time since diagnosis, and current level of physical functioning.
In a cross-sectional design, 75 adults with a diagnosis of ALS completed self-report questionnaires. Participants had a mean age of 60.40 years, mean duration of symptoms 63.92 months, and male:female gender ratio of 14:11.
Questionnaires assessed emotional distress (HADS, adapted for ALS), physical functioning (ALSFRS-R), repetitive negative thinking (RTQ-10), metacognitive beliefs (MCQ-30), and demographic factors.
Maladaptive metacognitive beliefs explained additional variance in emotional distress after controlling for age, gender, time since diagnosis, physical functioning, and repetitive negative thinking. Repetitive negative thinking partially mediated the relationships between positive and negative metacognitive beliefs and emotional distress.
These data support the utility of the metacognitive model in understanding emotional distress in people with ALS. Examination of the temporal relationship between maladaptive metacognitive beliefs and emotional distress in people living with ALS may help to guide the development of therapeutic approaches.
约半数肌萎缩侧索硬化症（ALS）患者经历过持续或反复的情绪困扰，但对于维持该人群情绪困扰的心理过程却知之甚少。自我调节执行功能（S-REF）模型指出，适应不良的元认知信念和过程是情绪困扰发生和维持的核心。本研究探讨了在控制人口统计学因素、确诊时间和当前身体功能水平后，适应不良的元认知信念是否与情绪困扰相关。
采用横断面设计，75名确诊为ALS的成年人完成了自我报告问卷。参与者的平均年龄为60.40岁，平均症状持续时间为63.92个月，男女比例为14:11。
问卷评估了情绪困扰（针对ALS改编的医院焦虑抑郁量表）、身体功能（ALS功能评定量表修订版）、重复性消极思维（重复性消极思维问卷-10）、元认知信念（元认知问卷-30）和人口统计学因素。
在控制年龄、性别、确诊时间、身体功能和重复性消极思维后，适应不良的元认知信念解释了情绪困扰中额外的方差。重复性消极思维部分介导了积极和消极元认知信念与情绪困扰之间的关系。
这些数据支持元认知模型在理解ALS患者情绪困扰方面的实用性。研究ALS患者中适应不良的元认知信念与情绪困扰之间的时间关系可能有助于指导治疗方法的开发。
