Metacognitive factors in a sample of Greek alcohol dependent patients

Abstract

Introduction

The harmful use of alcohol causes a large disease, social and economic burden in societies. Metacognition is a complex concept referring to the cognitive control and regulation of many types of cognitive processes.

Objectives

Metacognitions are considered to be an important factor in the development and continuance of psychological disorders.

Aims

The purpose of this study is to examine the probable relations between alcohol abuse and Metacognitions with the Metacognitions Questionaire – 30 (MCQ-30).

Method

Twenty-three men and 16 women, aged between 22 and 64 years, inpatients in Eginition Hospital, due to alcohol dependence, completed the Greek-Version of the MCQ-30.

Results

The mean total scores of alcoholics were higher than the ones of the healthy subjects. Namely, the group of the alcohol abused patients presented a higher score in comparison with the normal group in three of the five metacognitive dimensions. Additionally, alcoholic men outscored alcoholic women in two of the five factors. Specifically, alcoholic men appeared to be less confident about their memory and attention than alcoholic women. Furthermore, alcoholic men, compared to alcoholic women claimed in a significant greater level that worrying helped them to function.

Conclusions

The above findings suggest that metacognitions could play a role in the orientation and maintenance of alcoholic abuse behavior. Moreover, these results may pose the question of whether these metacognitive beliefs could be seen as an indicator of differentiating alcoholic men from women. Overall, further research could provide additional information concerning the relation between Metacognitions and alcoholic dependence.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.