The Self-Regulatory Executive Function (S-REF) model of affective dysfunction (Wells & Matthews, 1994) suggests that metacognitive beliefs are important for initiating and maintaining repetitive thought processes in emotional disorders. Rumination is reported by socially anxious individuals, yet it is not known whether this group endorse positive beliefs about the utility of rumination. We predicted that higher levels of social anxiety would be positively associated with stronger positive metacognitive beliefs about rumination. In Study 1 (N = 250 undergraduates), a measure of social anxiety was positively correlated with a measure of positive metacognitive beliefs about rumination, even when controlling for gender and level of depression. Given this result, we then attempted to replicate the finding in another sample, as well as test whether positive metacognitive beliefs about rumination would mediate the relationship between social anxiety and trait rumination. In Study 2 (N = 124 undergraduates), a social anxiety composite measure was positively correlated with a measure of positive metacognitive beliefs about rumination, even when controlling for gender, level of depression and level of rumination. Positive metacognitive beliefs about rumination were also shown to partially mediate the relationship between social anxiety and trait rumination. These results support the S-REF model and provide a potential account of why socially anxious individuals engage in rumination. Implications for the treatment of social anxiety are discussed.

Based on findings from subclinical OCD checking samples (Cuttler & Graf, 2007; 2008), Cuttler and Graf (2009) suggested that checking may develop to compensate for prospective memory failures. The present study provides the first evidence of prospective memory problems in a clinical sample of OCD checkers (n = 26) compared to a group of healthy controls (n = 26). Consistent with earlier work with subclinical samples, the OCD checkers performed more poorly on an event-based, but not a time-based, prospective memory task. However, the OCD checkers did not report more subjective prospective memory failures than controls and their confidence in prospective memory accuracy was higher than that of controls. An explanation of the inconsistent findings with regard to metamemory in clinical and subclinical OCD checking is provided. Further research assessing both subjective memory performance and the strategies understood to support memory is needed to clarify the contribution of prospective memory to OCD checking.

This study investigated the relationship between attachment, mood and deliberate self-harm (DSH) in a nonclinical population (n = 114). In addition to a range of risky behaviours, the most commonly reported DSH behaviours were Head-banging (47%), Hitting (46%), Scratching (38%) and Cutting (34%). Those who engaged in DSH had poorer quality of attachment to both parents but not peers, and higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress. Path analysis was then used to examine the interaction between attachment, mood and DSH. The impact of the quality of attachment on DSH was found to be mediated by stress, which suggests that DSH may be a maladaptive coping mechanism. Attachment to father and peers was found to be more influential than attachment to mother. Our findings suggest that DSH may be more prevalent in the community than previously recognised, and that attachment, which is currently neglected in DSH research, warrants further investigation in both clinical and nonclinical populations.

This study examined the relationships between obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCs) and encoding style in a subclinical sample, by using a questionnaire that evaluates the extent to which preexisting schemata (versus cues from the outside world) affect encoding processes (Lewicki, 2005). Research on encoding style has revealed on one hand the existence of individual differences in the tendency to impose interpretive schemata in the process of encoding, and on the other hand the fact that an extremely internal mode of encoding has been found to be related to an increased propensity to self-perpetuate preexisting schemata. Furthermore, internal encoding may contribute to the development of psychopathological symptoms, through the self-perpetuation of dysfunctional schemata. The results confirmed that OCs are connected with an internal encoding style; specific relationships between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) dimensions and internal encoding style were also found. These results are discussed in terms of the role of encoding style in the perpetuation of OCs, and its relationship to the dysfunctional beliefs characterising OCD.

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is an important mental health problem. The Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing estimates the 12-month prevalence of OCD is 1.9% (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2007). Individuals with OCD experience considerable impairment in daily functioning. Cognitive and behavioural therapy for OCD has been shown to be effective, however, accessibility to evidence based treatments is limited in Australia, especially for those living in rural and remote communities. Treatment delivered in a remote fashion may improve accessibility to such treatments. The present review aimed to evaluate the current status of evidence based treatments for OCD delivered remotely.