This introductory review article aims to provide the interested reader with an outline of the fundamentals of metacognitive therapy. Metacognitive therapy (MCT) is an evidence based cognitive behavioural psychotherapy approach with a very solid theoretical background in understanding and explaining the mechanisms by which any psychological disorder persists. MCT provides a new perspective for the treatment of psychological disorders by underlining the significance of how a person thinks, rather than simply focusing on the content of his cognitions. The case formulation and specific techniques of MCT are the main distinctive features of this therapy approach, which places it in a unique position among other CBT approaches. These distinctive features are defined throughout the article. A short introduction to the metacognitive model of psychological disorder, the core features of this therapy, and the specific techniques of MCT are also summarized. A brief list of clinical scales and treatment plans as well as the order of application of MCT techniques are also given. This review article aims to underline the theoretical background of MCT, and hopes to provide a glimpse into the introductory level principles of the application of this therapy approach.
Key words: Metacognitive therapy, self-regulatory executive function model, cognitive attentional syndrome
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