Metacognitive Approaches
This chapter presents the theory underpinning metacognitive therapy (MCT) and evidence for the efficacy of MCT in psychological disorders generally and its application in addressing anxiety and mood disorders in psycho-oncology specifically. MCT is a third-wave therapy that targets the processes that maintain psychopathology, such as worry, rumination, and suppression, and the beliefs about how one should respond to intrusive and unwanted thoughts (metacognitions) that drive those responses. Because MCT does not target the content of thoughts or worries but rather the content of metacognitions and interrupts the process of worrying that often follows, it is particularly useful in the psycho-oncology context. Emerging evidence suggests that MCT may be an acceptable and effective treatment for cancer-related anxiety and fear of cancer recurrence.