half day workshop

METACOGNITIVE-FOCUSED COGNITIVE THERAPY FOR RUMINATION AND DEPRESSION
Costas Papageorgiou, University of Lancaster, United Kingdom

Princess Hotel Room: Mediterraneo

Grounded on an information processing theory of emotional disorders (Wells & Matthews, 1994), Papageorgiou and Wells (2003, 2004) proposed a clinical metacognitive model of rumination and depression. In this model, positive metacognitive beliefs about the benefits or advantanges of rumination motivate individuals to engage in sustained rumination. Once rumination is activated, individuals appraise this process as both uncontrollable and harmful and leading to negative interpersonal and social consequences. The activation of negative metacognitive beliefs about rumination then contributes to the experience of depression. Moreover, decreases in metacognitive confidence and efficiency are an important depressogenic byproduct, which further contributes to negative beliefs about the interpersonal and social consequences of rumination and maintains the activation of positive beliefs concerning the need to ruminate to facilitate effective coping. Therefore, a number of vicious cycles of rumination and metacognition are responsible for the perpetuation of depression. In view of this model, Wells and Papageorgiou (2004) have advocated the implementation of a metacognitive-focused cognitive therapy, which targets the process, rather than just the content, of rumination in depression. This workshop is designed to provide participants an outline of the metacognitive-focused cognitive therapy for rumination and depression and will cover the following areas: definitions, nature, and consequences of depressive rumination; description of the clinical metacognitive model of rumination and depression; assessment and measurement of rumination and associated constructs; conceptualisation and socialisation; facilitating abandonment of rumination; enhancing flexible control over cognition through use of attention training, prescribed rumination ban, and detached mindfulness; modification of positive and negative metacognitive beliefs about rumination; and decatastrophising emotion. The workshop is aimed at any level of training and experience in cognitive behaviour therapy.

Costas Papageorgiou, PhD, is Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Director of the Specialist Mood Disorders Clinic at the Priory Hospital Altrincham, UK. He is also an Honorary Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at the University of Lancaster, UK. Dr Papageorgiou has been extensively involved in investigating rumination and depression and has co-authored the first empirical studies examining the link between rumination, depression, and metacognition. He has presented papers and skills based workshops in numerous national and international conferences and published peer-reviewed articles on cognitive and metacognitive theory and therapy of emotional disorders, particularly depression.

Key References:
Papageorgiou, C., & Wells, A. (2003). An empirical test of a clinical metacognitive model of rumination and depression. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 27, 261-273. 
Papageorgiou, C., & Wells, A. (2004). Nature, functions, and beliefs about depressive rumination. In C. Papageorgiou & A. Wells (Eds.), Depressive Rumination: Nature, Theory and Treatment. Chichester, UK: Wiley. 
Wells, A., & Papageorgiou, C. (2004). Metacognitive therapy for depressive rumination. In C. Papageorgiou & A. Wells (Eds.), Depressive rumination: Nature, theory and treatment. Chichester, UK: Wiley.