Metacognitive Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Nature, Evidence and an Individual Case Illustration

Metacognitive therapy (MCT) is based on over 25 years of research focusing on the processes that contribute to the development and maintenance of psychological disorders. The approach identifies a common set of processes in psychopathology, and MCT shows promising results in effectively treating a range of disorders. This paper presents the central theoretical tenets of MCT and uses a clinical vignette to illustrate the structure and techniques of treatment based on Wells's (2009) manual as they relate to a specific case of generalized anxiety disorder.

► Provides a general introduction to the theory of metacognitive therapy (MCT)
► Clinical use of MCT is illustrated through the case of William, who suffers from GAD
► Scientific evidence for MCT in GAD is presented