Emotional schemas and metacognitive beliefs in anxiety and depression: A network approach

Anxiety and depression are prevalent and comorbid, and transdiagnostic models highlight emotional schemas and metacognitive beliefs as relevant to emotional distress. However, little is known about their interplay within a network or whether centrality differs by symptom severity. Treatment-seeking adults ( N = 1459; Mage = 34.98; 62% female) completed the LESS-II, MCQ-30, BDI, and BAI. Networks were estimated using Gaussian graphical models with EBICglasso regularization. Centrality indices were examined, and networks were compared between participants with clinically significant symptom levels ( n = 797) and those without ( n = 662). Loss of Control, Negative Metacognitive Beliefs about Uncontrollability and Danger, Non-Acceptance of Feelings, and Low Expression showed the highest centrality. The strongest edges linked Loss of Control with Non-Acceptance of Feelings and Duration, and Negative Metacognitive Beliefs about Uncontrollability and Danger with Need for Control. Centrality differences indicated higher strength/expected influence for Anxiety and Low Consensus in the non-clinical group, and higher strength for Negative Metacognitive Beliefs about Uncontrollability and Danger in the same group. At the edge level, several differences emerged across groups, including a stronger Anxiety–Negative Metacognitive Beliefs about Uncontrollability and Danger association in the non-clinical group and stronger Loss of Control–Non-Acceptance of Feelings and Numbness-related links in the clinical group. Emotional schemas and metacognitive beliefs are closely connected within a network of emotional distress, although longitudinal research is needed to evaluate temporal dynamics. • Network analysis integrated emotional schemas, metacognitive beliefs, and symptom severity. • Loss of Control and Negative Metacognitive Beliefs about Uncontrollability and Danger were the most central nodes. • Strongest edges: Loss of Control – Non-Acceptance and Negative Metacognitive Beliefs about Uncontrollability and Danger - Need for Control. • Several node- and edge-level differences emerged across symptom-severity groups.