The Effectiveness of Metacognitive Strategies Training on Cognitive Failure in Patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder

The purpose of the present research was to examine the effectiveness of meta-cognitive strategies training on the cognitive failure in patients with general anxiety disorder (GAD). This quasi-experimental design consisted of two groups, with pre-test/ posttest and the control group. Considering the experimental nature of the research and also, with regards to the drop in the number of 30 people (15 in each group), patients with generalized anxiety disorder (DSM-5) were selected according to the available criteria and were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups according to entry requirements. In both groups, the scale of Broadbent et al. Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ) was carried out. Then, the experimental group underwent metacognitive strategies in 10 sessions of 90 minutes and the control group did not receive any training. At the end, the same questionnaire was administered in both groups. The results of the two groups were evaluated in two stages using relevant statistical tests. Multivariate covariance analysis showed that meta-cognitive strategies training significantly reduces cognitive failure and its subscales (distraction, memory defects and inadvertent errors) in patients with general anxiety disorder (P<0/05); there was no significant difference between meta-cognitive strategies training with the subscale of not remembering names (P>0/05). Despite the differences in the scores of cognitive failures in the group studied, it is recommended to use metacognitive strategies to reduce the symptoms of cognitive impairment in patients with generalized anxiety disorder.