Metacognitions Questionnaire – MCQ-65
Measures beliefs about worrying thoughts, attitudes, and processes associated with cognition.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Metacognitions Questionnaire – MCQ-65 was developed by Adrian Wells (1997). It is designed to measure Metacognition. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 65 items organized into 5 factors/subscales: Positive beliefs about worry, Uncontrollability and danger, Cognitive confidence, Need for control, responsibility and punishment, Cognitive self-consciousness.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Positive beliefs about worry | 1,9,12,22,27,30,35,38,46,52,56,60,63,65 | 14 |
| Uncontrollability and danger | 2,5,8,11,13,18,21,31,33,34,36,40,42,44,45,48,53,55,58 | 19 |
| Cognitive confidence | 3,10,16,24,28,43,47,51,57 | 9 |
| Need for control, responsibility and punishment | 7,15,17,19,26,29,32,37,39,41,49,50,54,59,62,64 | 16 |
| Cognitive self-consciousness | 4,6,14,20,23,25,61 | 7 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Do not agree, 2 = Agree slightly, 3 = Agree moderately, 4 = Agree very much.
The scale includes 2 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 65 to 260. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low metacognitive beliefs: 65 – 130
- Moderate metacognitive beliefs: 131 – 195
- High metacognitive beliefs: 196 – 260
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Adequate to good internal consistency.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.