A structured assessment of the client's metacognitive beliefs before the start of therapy. Includes a clinical interview and the MCQ-30 (Metacognitions Questionnaire). The profile identifies which exact meta-beliefs maintain the problem — positive (worry is useful) and negative (worry is dangerous/uncontrollable).
Step-by-step guide
- Conduct a clinical interview about the most recent episode of worry/rumination
- Identify positive beliefs about worry ("Worry helps me.")
- Identify negative beliefs about uncontrollability and dangerousness
- Complete the MCQ-30, analyze the 5 scales
- Include the results in the case formulation
When to use
- Sessions 1–2, a mandatory step before any intervention
- When assessing a new client with anxiety, depression, or OCD
Key phrases
When you worry, what does it give you?
Follow-up questions
What would have happened if you had not worried?
When the thought appears, do you feel that you can control it?
How much do you believe that worry is dangerous?
Alternative phrasings
Tell me about the last time you worried strongly — how did it all start?
Warnings
- ⚠️ Do not confuse with an assessment of the content of anxious thoughts — the focus is on beliefs about the worry itself, not about its objects
- ⚠️ Do not blend with a CBT case formulation — here the meta-level matters
Materials are informational and educational and summarize publicly available scientific sources. They are not medical or psychological advice, are not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment, and do not replace consultation with a qualified professional.