Automatic thoughts and meta-cognition as predictors of depressive or anxious symptoms: a prospective study of two trajectories

Abstract

The purpose of this prospective study was to explore the Automatic Thought Questionnaire Negative (ATQ-30-N) and the Meta-cognitions Questionnaire (MCQ-30) as predictors in the development of depressive or anxious symptoms. A sample (N = 201) completed the ATQ-30-N, MCQ-30, and the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25) twice with a three month interval. The HSCL-25 measures both depressive and anxiety symptoms. Separate multiple hierarchical regression analyses indicated that the ATQ-30-N was a positive predictor for levels of depressive symptoms, while the MCQ-30 was a predictor of both levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms, at follow-up, when controlling for gender, age and pre-test levels of symptoms. However, the MCQ-30 did not predict future levels of depressive symptoms, when levels of automatic negative thoughts measured by the ATQ-30-N were statistically controlled for. The findings suggested that the ATQ-30-N predicts future levels of depressive symptoms, while the MCQ-30 primarily predicts future levels of anxiety.