Research /Subject Areas


Metacognitive Theory and Therapy
Treatment Outcomes
Generalised Anxiety Disorder & Worry
Depression & Rumination
Traumatic Stress
Intrusive Thoughts & Obsessive-Compulsive
Alcohol Abuse
Psychotic Symptoms
Social Phobia
Health, Health Anxiety & Panic
Eating Disorders
Metacognitive Beliefs, Worry & Thought Control
Self-Attention and Self-Regulation
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Personality Disorder & Schema Focused CBT

Metacognitive Theory and Therapy


Wells, A. 2010). Metacognitive Therapy. In J.D. Herbert & E.M. Forman (Eds). Acceptance and Mindfulness in Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Understanding and applying the new therapies. New York: Wiley.

Wells, A.(2009). Metacognitive Therapy for Anxiety and Depression. New York: Guilford.

Fisher, P. & Wells, A. (2009). Metacognitive Therapy: Distinctive Features.Hove, UK: Routledge. Cooper, M.,

Todd, G. & Wells, A. (2009). Treating Bulimia Nervosa and Binge Eating: An Integrated Metacognitive and Cognitive Therapy Manual. London, UK: Routledge.

Wells, A. (2008). Metacognitive Therapy: Cognition applied to regulating cognition. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 36, 651-658.

Wells, A.(2007). Cognition about Cognition: Metacognitive Therapy and Change in Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Social Phobia. Cognitive and Behavioural Practice, 14, 18-25.

Wells, A. (2007). The Attention Training Technique: Theory, effects and a metacognitive hypothesis on auditory hallucinations. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 14, 134-138.

Wells, A. & Matthews, G.(2006). Cognitive vulnerability to anxiety disorders: An integration. In: L.B. Alloy & J.H.Riskind (Eds.). Cognitive Vulnerability to Emotional Disorders. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Wells, A. (2006) The Metacognitive Model of Worry and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. In: G.C.L. Davey & A. Wells (Eds.). Worry and Psychological Disorders: Assessment and Treatment. Chichester, UK: Wiley.

Wells, A. (2005). Worry, Intrusive Thoughts, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder: The Metacognitive Theory and Treatment. In: D.A. Clark (ed.). Intrusive thoughts in Clinical Disorders: Theory, Research and Treatment. New York: Guilford.

Wells, A. (2005). Generalized Anxiety Disorder. In: A. Freeman (Ed.). Encyclopedia of Cognitive Behavior Therapy.New York: Springer.

Wells, A. (2005). Detached Mindfulness in Cognitive Therapy: A metacognitive analysis and ten techniques.Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive –Behavior Therapy, 23, 337-355

Wells, A. & Sembi, S. (2004). Metacognitive Therapy for PTSD: A Core Treatment Manual. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 11, 365-377.

Wells, A. (2004). A Cognitive Model of GAD: Metacognitions and Pathological Worry. In: R.G Heimberg, C. Turk, D. Mennin (eds.). Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Advances in Research and Practice. New York: Guilford.

Wells, A. (2004). Metacognitive Therapy: Elements of mental control in understanding and treating GAD and PTSD. In: R.L. Leahy (Ed.). Contemporary Cognitive Therapy: Theory, Research, and Practice. New York: Guilford.

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.

Wells, A. (2003). Anxiety disorders, metacognition and change. In: R.L. Leahy (ed.). Roadblocks in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: Transforming challenges into opportunities for change. New York: Guilford.

Wells, A. (2002). GAD, Metacognition, and Mindfulness: An Information Processing Analysis. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 9, 95-100.

Wells, A. (2002). Worry, metacognition and GAD: Nature, consequences and treatment. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 16, 179-192.

Wells, A. (1999) A metacognitive model and therapy for generalised anxiety disorder. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 6, 86-95.

Wells, A. (1999) A cognitive model of generalised anxiety disorder. Behaviour Modification, 23, 526-555.

Wells, A. & Matthews, G. (1996). Modelling cognition in emotional disorder: The S-REF model. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 34, 881-888.

Wells, A. & Matthews, G. (1996). Anxiety and Cognition. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 9, 422-426.
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Treatment Outcomes



Wells, A., Welford, M., King, P., Papageorgiou, C., Wisely, J. & Mendel, E. (2010). A pilot randomized trial of metacognitive therapy vs applied relaxation in the treatment of adults with generalized anxiety disorder. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 48, 429-434.

Wells, A., Fisher, P. Myers, S., Wheatley, J., Patel, T. & Brewin, C.R. (2009). Metacognitive Therapy in Recurrent and Persistent Depression: A Multiple-Baseline Study of a New Treatment. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 33, 291-300.

Nordahl, H. M. (2009). Effectiveness of brief metacognitive therapy versus cognitive-behavioral therapy in a general outpatient setting. International Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 2, 152-159.

Wells, A., Welford, M., Fraser, J., King, P., Mendel, E., Wisely, J., Knight, A. & Rees, D. (2008). Chronic PTSD Treated with Metacognitive Therapy: An Open Trial. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 15, 85-92

Fisher, P.L. & Wells, A. (2008). Metacognitive Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A case series. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 39, 117-132

Wells, A. & King, P. (2006). Metacognitive Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: An open trial. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 37, 206-212.

Wells, A. & Sembi, S. (2004). Metacognitive Therapy for PTSD: A preliminary investigation of a new brief treatment. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 35, 307-318.

Wells, A. & Papageorgiou, C. (2001). Brief Cognitive Therapy for Social Phobia: A case series Behaviour Research and Therapy, 39, 713-720.

Papageorgiou, C. & Wells, A. (2000). Treatment of recurrent major depression with Attention Training. Cognitive and Behavioural Practice, 7, 407- 413.

Guthrie, E., Wells, A. et al. (1999). The Manchester bombing: Providing a rational response. Journal of Mental Health, 8, 149-157.

Papageorgiou, C. & Wells, A. (1998).Effects of attention training in hypochondriasis: An experimental case series. Psychological Medicine, 28, 193-200.

Wells, A., White, J. & Carter, K. (1997) Attention Training: Effects on anxiety and beliefs in panic and social phobia. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 4, 226-232.

Wells, A. (1990) Panic disorder in association with relaxation induced anxiety: An attention training approach to treatment. Behaviour Therapy, 21, 273-280.

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Generalised Anxiety Disorder & Worry


Wells, A. & Carter, K.E.P. (2009) Maladaptive Thought Control Strategies in Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, and Nonpatient Groups and Relationships with Trait Anxiety. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 2, 224-234.

Wells, A. (1995) Meta-cognition and worry: A cognitive model of generalised anxiety disorder. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 23, 301-320.

Wells, A. (1999) A metacognitive model and therapy for generalised anxiety disorder. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 6, 86-95.

Wells, A. (1999) A cognitive model of generalised anxiety disorder. Behaviour Modification, 23, 526-555.

Wells, A. & Carter C (1999). Preliminary tests of a cognitive model of Generalised Anxiety Disorder. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 37, 585-594.

Wells, A. & Carter, K. (2001). Further tests of a cognitive model of Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Metacognitions and worry in GAD, panic disorder, social phobia, depression, and non-patients. Behavior Therapy, 32, 85-102 .

Wells, A. (2002). GAD, Metacognition, and Mindfulness: An Information Processing Analysis. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 9, 95-100.

Wells, A. (2002). Worry, metacognition and GAD: Nature, consequences and treatment. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 16, 179-192.

Wells, A. (2005). The Metacognitive Model of GAD: Assessment of meta-worry and relationship with DSM-IV Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 29, 107-121.

Wells, A. & King, P. (2006). Metacognitive Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: An open trial. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 37, 206-212.

Nordahl, H.M., Ingul, J.M., Nordvik, H. & Wells, A. (2007). Does maternal psychopathology discriminate between children with DSM-IV generalized anxiety disorder or oppositional defiant disorder? The predictive validity of maternal axis I and axis II psychopathology. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 16, 87-95.

Wells, A. & Butler, G. (1996). Generalised anxiety disorder. In: D. M. Clark & C. Fairburn (eds.). Science and Practice of Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy. Oxford UK: Oxford University Press.

Wells, A. (2002). Brief cognitive therapy of generalised anxiety disorder. In: Windy Dryden and Frank Bond (eds.). Brief Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. Chichester, UK: Wiley.

Wells, A. (2004). A Cognitive Model of GAD: Metacognitions and Pathological Worry. In: R.G Heimberg, C. Turk, D. Mennin (eds.). Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Advances in Research and Practice. New York: Guilford.

Wells, A. (2004). Metacognitive Therapy: Elements of mental control in understanding and treating GAD and PTSD. In: R.L. Leahy (Ed.). Contemporary Cognitive Therapy: Theory, Research, and Practice. New York: Guilford.

Wells, A. (2005). Worry, Intrusive Thoughts, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder: The Metacognitive Theory and Treatment. In: D.A. Clark (ed.). Intrusive thoughts in Clinical Disorders: Theory, Research and Treatment. New York: Guilford.

Wells, A. (2006) The Metacognitive Model of Worry and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. In: G.C.L. Davey & A. Wells (Eds.). Worry and Psychological Disorders: Assessment and Treatment. Chichester, UK: Wiley.

Wells, A. (2006). Metacognitive Therapy for Worry and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. In: G.C.L. Davey & A. Wells (Eds.). Worry and Psychological Disorders: Assessment and Treatment. Chichester, UK: Wiley.

Wells, A. & Carter, K. (2006). Generalised Anxiety Disorder. In: A. Carr & M. McNulty (Eds.). Handbook of Adult Clinical Psychology: An evidence based approach. London, UK: Routledge


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Depression & Rumination


Wells, A., Fisher, P. Myers, S., Wheatley, J., Patel, T. & Brewin, C.R. (2009). Metacognitive Therapy in Recurrent and Persistent Depression: A Multiple-Baseline Study of a New Treatment. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 33, 291-300.

Papageorgiou, C. & Wells, A. (2009). A prospective test of the clinical metacognitive model of rumination and depression. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 2, 123-131.

Papageorgiou, C. & Wells, A. (1999). Process and metacognitive dimensions of depressive and anxious thoughts and relationships with emotional intensity. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 2, 156-162.

Sidley, G. L., Calam, R., Wells, A., Hughes, T. & Whitaker, K. (1999). The prediction of parasuicide repetition in a high risk group. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 38, 375-386.


Papageorgiou, C. & Wells, A. (2000). Treatment of recurrent major depression with Attention Training. Cognitive and Behavioural Practice, 7, 407- 413.

Papageorgiou, C. & Wells, A. (2001). Positive beliefs about depressive rumination: Development and preliminary validation of a self-report scale. Behavior Therapy, 32, 13-26.


Papageorgiou, C. & Wells, A. (2001). Metacognitive beliefs about rumination in recurrent major depression. Cognitive and Behavioral Practise, 8, 160-164.

Papageorgiou, C. & Wells, A. (2003). An empirical test of a clinical metacognitive model of rumination and depression. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 27, 261-273.

Patel, T., Brewin, C.R., Wheatley, J., Wells, A., Fisher, P. & Myers, S. (2007) Intrusive images and memories in major depression. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45, 2573-2580.

Wheatley, J., Brewin, C.R., Patel, T., Hackmann, A., Wells, A., Fisher, P. & Myers, S. (2007). “I’ll believe it when I can see it”: Imagery rescripting of intrusive sensory memories in depression. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 38, 371-385.

Matthews, G. & Wells, A. (2004). Rumination, depression and metacognition: The S-REF model. In: C. Papageorgiou & A. Wells (Eds.). Depressive Rumination: Nature, Theory and Treatment. Chichester, UK: Wiley.

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.

Bjerkeseth, O., Nordahl, H. M., Holmen, J., Mykletun, A., & Dahl, A. A. (2005). Anxiety and depression following myocardial infarction: Gender differences in a 5-year prospective study. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 58, 153-161.

Bjerkeset, O., Nordahl, H.M., Larsson, S., Dahl, A.A., & Linaker, O. (2007). A 4-year follow-up of syndromal and sub-syndromal anxiety and depression symptoms in the general population: The HUNT study. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, DOI 10.1007/00127-007-0289-6

Oliver, J. M., Klocek, J. & Wells, A. (1995). Depressed and anxious moods mediate relations among perceived socialization, self-focused attention, and dysfunction attitudes. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 51, 726-739.

Sidley, G., Whitaker, K., Calam, R. & Wells, A. (1997) The relationship between problem-solving and autobiographical memory in parasuicide patients. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 25, 195-202.


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Traumatic Stress


Bennett, H. & Wells, A. (2010). Metacognition, memory disorganization and rumination in posttraumatic stress symptoms. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 24, 318-325.

Wells, A., Welford, M., Fraser, J., King, P., Mendel, E., Wisely, J., Knight, A. & Rees, D. (2008). Chronic PTSD Treated with Metacognitive Therapy: An Open Trial. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 15, 85-92.

Roussis, P. & Wells, A. (2008). Psychological factors predicting stress symptoms: Metacognition, thought control and varieties of worry. Anxiety, Stress and Coping, 21, 213-225.


Roussis, P. & Wells, A. (2006). Post-traumatic stress symptoms: tests of relationships with thought control strategies and beliefs as predicted by the metacognitive model. Personality and Individual Differences, 40, 111-122

Wells, A. & Sembi, S. (2004). Metacognitive Therapy for PTSD: A Core Treatment Manual. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 11, 365-377.

Wells, A. & Sembi, S. (2004). Metacognitive Therapy for PTSD: A preliminary investigation of a new brief treatment. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 35, 307-318.


Holeva, V., Tarrier, N. & Wells, A. (2001). Prevalence and predictors of acute PTSD following road traffic accidents: Thought control strategies and social support. Behavior Therapy, 32, 65-83.

Guthrie, E., Wells, A. et al. (1999). The Manchester bombing: Providing a rational response. Journal of Mental Health, 8, 149-157.

Reynolds, M. & Wells, A. (1999). The Thought Control Questionnaire - psychometric properties in a clinical sample, and relationships with PTSD and depression. Psychological Medicine, 29, 1089-1099.


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Intrusive Thoughts & Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms


Solem, S., Myers, S., Fisher, P.L., Vogel, P.A. & Wells, A. (2010). An empirical test of the metacognitive model of obsessive-compulsive symptoms: Replication and extension. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 24, 79-86.

Solem, S., Håland, A.T., Vogel, P.A., Hansen, B. & Wells, A. (2009). Change in metacognitions predicts outcome in obsessive-compulsive disorder patients undergoing treatment with exposure and response prevention. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 47, 301-307

Fisher, P.L. (2009). Obsessive compulsive disorder: A comparison of CBT and the Metacognitive approach. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 2, 107-122.

Myers, S.G., Fisher, P.L. & Wells, A. (2009). Metacognition and cognition as predictors of obsessive-compulsive symptoms: A prospective study. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 2, 132-142.

Yilmaz, A.E., Tulin, G. & Wells, A. (2008). Psychometric characteristics of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire and Metacognitions Questionnaire-30 and metacognitive predictors of worry and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in a Turkish sample. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 15, 424-439.

Fisher, P.L. & Wells, A. (2005). Experimental modification of beliefs in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a test of the metacognitive model.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 43, 821-829.

Fisher, P.L. & Wells, A. (2005). How effective are cognitive and behavioural treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder? A clinical significance analysis. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 43, 1543-1558.

Myers, S. & Wells, A. (2005). Obsessive-compulsive symptoms: the contribution of metacognitions and responsibility. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 19, 806-817.

Gwilliam, P., Wells, A. & Cartwright-Hatton, S. (2004). Does meta-cognition or responsibility predict obsessive-compulsive symptoms: A test of the meta-cognitive model.Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 11, 137-144.

Wells, A. & Papageorgiou, C. (1998). Relationships between worry, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and meta-cognitive beliefs. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 39, 899-913.

Butler, G., Wells, A. & Dewick, H. (1995) Differential effects of worry and imagery after exposure to a stressful stimulus: A pilot study. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 23, 45-56.

Wells, A. (1995) An Issue of Intrusions. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 23, 201.

Wells, A. & Papageorgiou, C. (1995) Worry and the incubation of intrusive images following stress. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 33, 579-583.

Wells, A. & Morrison, A. (1994) Qualitative dimensions of normal worry and normal obsessions: A comparative study. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 32, 867-870.


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Alcohol Abuse


Spada, M.M. & Wells, A. (2010). Metacognitions across the continuum of drinking behaviour. Personality and Individual Differences, 49, 425-429.

Spada, M. M., Caselli, G. & Wells, A. (2009). Metacognitions as a predictor of drinking status and level of alcohol use following CBT in problem drinkers: a prospective study. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 47, 882-886 .

Spada, M. M. & Wells, A. (2009). A metacognitive model of problem drinking. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 16, 383-393.

Spada, M.M. & Wells, A. (2005). Metacognitions, Emotion and Alcohol Use. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 12, 150-155.

Spada, M. & Wells, A. (2006). Metacognitions about alcohol use in problem drinkers. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 13, 138-143.

Spada, M.M., Moneta, G.B. & Wells, A. (2007). The relative contribution of metacognitive beliefs and expectancies to drinking behaviour. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 42, 567-574.

Spada, M.M., Nikčevič, A.V., Moneta, G.B. & Wells, A. (2007). Metacognitive as a mediator of the relationship between emotion and smoking dependence. Addictive Behaviors, 32, 2120-2129.

Spada, M.M., Zandvoort, M. & Wells, A. (2007). Metacognitions in Problem Drinkers. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 31, 709-716.

Spada, M.M., Nikčevič, A.V., Moneta, G.B. & Wells, A. (2008). Metacognition, perceived stress, and negative emotion. Personality and Individual Differences, 44, 1172-1181.

Spada, M.M. & Wells, A. (2008). Metacognitive beliefs about alcohol use: development and validation of two self-report scales. Addictive Behaviors, 33, 515-527.


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Psychotic Symptoms


Wells, A. (2007). The Attention Training Technique: Theory, effects and a metacognitive hypothesis on auditory hallucinations. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 14, 134-138

Morrison, A.P., French, P. & Wells, A. (2007). Metacognitive beliefs across the continuum of psychosis: Comparisons between patients with psychotic disorders, patients at ultra-high risk and non-patients. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45, 2241-2246.

Morrison, A.P. & Wells, A. (2007). Relationships between worry, psychotic experiences and emotional distress in patients with schizophrenia spectrum diagnoses and comparisons with anxious and non-patient groups. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45, 1593-1600.

Fraser, J., Morrison, A. & Wells, A. (2006). Cognitive Processes, Reasoning Biases and Persecutory Delusions: A Comparative Study. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 34, 421-435.

Morrison, A.P., Nothard, S., Bowe, S.E. & Wells, A. (2004). Interpretations of voices in patients with hallucinations and non-patient controls: a comparison and predictors of distress in patients. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 42, 1315-1323

. Morrison, A.P. & Wells, A. (2003). A comparison of metacognitions in patients with hallucinations, delusions, panic disorder, and non-patient controls. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 41, 251-256.

Lobban, F., Haddock, G., Kinderman, P. & Wells, A. (2002). The role of metacognitive beliefs in auditory hallucinations. Personality and Individual Differences, 32, 1351-1363.

Morrison, A.P., Wells, A. & Nothard, S. (2002). Cognitive and emotional predictors of predisposition to hallucinations in non-patients. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 41, 259-270.

Morrison, A. & Wells, A. (2000). Thought control strategies in schizophrenia: a comparison with non-patients. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 38, 1205-1209.

Morrison, A. P., Wells, A. & Nothard, S. (2000). Cognitive factors in predisposition to auditory and visual hallucinations. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 39, 67-78.


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Social Phobia


Wells, A., Clark, D. M., Salkovskis, P., Ludgate, J. Hackmann, A. & Gelder, M. (1995) Social Phobia: The role of in-situation safety behaviors in maintaining anxiety and negative beliefs. Behavior Therapy, 26, 152-161.

Clark, D. M. & Wells, A. (1995) A cognitive model of social phobia. In: R.G. Heimberg, M. R. Liebowitz, D. A. Hope & R. R. Schneier (eds.): Social Phobia: Diagnosis, Assessment and Treatment. New York: Guilford Press.

Wells, A., Clark, D. M. & Ahmad, S. (1998). How do I look with my minds eye?: Perspective taking in social phobic imagery. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 36, 631-634 .

Wells, A. & Papageorgiou, C. (1998). Social phobia: Effects of external attention focus on anxiety, negative beliefs and perspective taking. Behavior Therapy. 29, 357-370.

Nutt, D., Baldwin, D., Beaumont, G., Bell, C., Denny, C., Knapp, M., Maxwell, R., McNicholas, F. & Wells, A. (1999). Guidelines for the management of social phobia/social anxiety disorder. Primary Care Psychiatry, 5, 147-155.

Wells, A. & Papageorgiou, C. (1999). The observer perspective: biased imagery in social phobia, agoraphobia, and blood/injury phobia. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 37, 653-658.

Wells, A. & Papageorgiou, C. (2001). Social phobic interoception: Effects of bodily information on anxiety, beliefs and self-processing. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 39, 1-11.

Wells, A. & Papageorgiou, C. (2001). Brief Cognitive Therapy for Social Phobia: A case series Behaviour Research and Therapy, 39, 713-720.

Wells, A. (2001). The maintenance and treatment of social phobia: A Cognitive Approach. Journal of the Norwegian Psychological Association, 38, 717-724.

Papageorgiou, C. & Wells, A. (2002). Effects of heart rate information on anxiety, perspective-taking and performance in high and low social-evaluative anxiety. Behavior Therapy, 33, 181-199.

Wells, A. & McMillan, D. (2004). Psychological Treatment of Social Phobia. Psychiatry, 3, 56-60.

Wells, A. (2007). Cognition about Cognition: Metacognitive Therapy and Change in Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Social Phobia. Cognitive and Behavioural Practice, 14, 18-25.

Wells, A. & Clark, D. M. (1997) Social Phobia: A cognitive approach. In: G. C. L. Davey (ed.). Phobias: A Handbook of Theory, Research and Treatment. Chichester UK: Wiley.

Wells, A. (1998). Cognitive therapy of social phobia. In: N. Tarrier, A. Wells, & G. Haddock (eds.). Cognitive-behaviour therapy of complex cases. Chichester UK: Wiley.


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Health, Health Anxiety, Panic


MCT related

Wells, A. & Fisher, P.L. (2011). Meta-cognitive therapy without metacognition: A case of ADHD. American Journal of Psychiatry, 168, 327

. Maher-Edwards, L., Fernie, B.A., Murphy, G., Wells, A. & Spada, M.M. (2011). Metacognitions and negative emotions as predictors of symptom severity in chronic fatigue syndrome. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 70, 311-317.

Allott, R., Wells, A., Morrison, A.P. and Walker, R. (2005). Distress in Parkinson’s disease: contributions of disease factors and metacognitive style. British Journal of Psychiatry, 187, 182-183.

James, A. & Wells A (2003). Religion and mental health: Towards a cognitive-behavioural framework. British Journal of Health Psychology, 8, 359-376.

James, A. & Wells, A. (2002). Death beliefs, superstitious beliefs, and health anxiety. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 41, 43-53.

Wells, A. & Hackmann, A. (1993). Imagery and core beliefs in health anxiety: Content and origins. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 21, 265-273

Wells, A. (1990) Panic disorder in association with relaxation induced anxiety: An attention training approach to treatment. Behaviour Therapy, 21, 273-280.

Wells, A., White, J. & Carter, K. (1997) Attention Training: Effects on anxiety and beliefs in panic and social phobia. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 4, 226-232.

CBT related

Clark, D.M., Salkovskis, P.M., Hackmann, A, Wells, A., Fennell, M., Ludgate, J., Ahmad, S., Richards, H.C. & Gelder, M. (1998). Two psychological treatments for hypochondriasis. British Journal of Psychiatry, 173, 218-225.

Clark, D. M., Salkovskis, P. M., Hackmann, A., Wells, A., Ludgate, J. & Gelder, M. (1999). Brief Cognitive Therapy for Panic Disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 67, 583-589.

Salkovskis, P. M., Clark, D. M., Hackmann, A., Wells, A. & Gelder, M. G. (1999). An experimental investigation of the role of safety-seeking behaviours in the maintenance of panic disorder with agoraphobia. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 37, 559-574.

Salkovskis, P.M., Hackmann, A., Wells, A., Gelder, M. & Clark, D.M. (2006). Belief disconfirmation versus habituation approaches to situational exposure in panic disorder with agoraphobia: A pilot study. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45, 877-885.

Fabbri, S., Kapur, N., Wells, A. & Creed, F. (2001). Emotional, cognitive, and behavioural characteristics of medical outpatients: a preliminary analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1, 74-77.

Fiddler, M., Jackson, J., Kapur, N., Wells, A. & Creed, F. (2004). Childhood adversity and frequent medical consultations. General Hospital Psychiatry, 26, 367-377.


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Eating Disorders


Cooper, M., Todd, G. & Wells, A. (2009). Treating bulimia nervosa and binge eating: An integrated metacognitive and cognitive therapy manual. London, UK: Routledge.

Cooper, M., Todd, G. & Wells, A. (2007). Cognitive Therapy for Bulimia Nervisa: An A-B Replication Series. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 14, 402-411.

Cooper, M.J., Todd, G., Woolrich, R., Somerville, K. & Wells, A. (2006). Assessing Eating Disorder thoughts and Behaviors: The Development and Preliminary Evaluation of Two Questionnaires. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 30, 551-570.

Cooper, M.J., Wells, A. & Todd, G. (2004). A cognitive model of bulimia nervosa. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 43, 1-16.

Loumidis, K. & Wells, A. (2001). Exercising for the wrong reasons: Relationships among eating disorder beliefs, dysfunctional exercise beliefs and coping. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 8, 416-423.

Cooper, M., Todd, G. & Wells, A. (2000). Bulimia Nervosa: A self-help cognitive therapy programme. Chichester, UK: Wiley.

Cooper, M., Todd, G., Cohen-Tovee, E., Wells, A. & Tovee, M. (1997). The eating disorder belief questionnaire: Preliminary development. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 35, 381-388.

Cooper, M. J., Wells, A. & Todd, G. (1998) Content, origins and consequences of beliefs in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 12, 213-230.

Loumidis, K. & Wells, A. (1998). Assessment of beliefs in exercise dependence: The development and preliminary validation of beliefs questionnaire. Personality and Individual Differences, 25, 553-567.


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Metacognitive Beliefs, Worry & Thought Control


Wells, A. (1994) A multi-dimensional measure of worry: Development and preliminary validation of the Anxious Thoughts Inventory. Anxiety Stress and Coping, 6, 289-299.

Wells, A. & Davies, M. (1994) The Thought Control Questionnaire: A measure of individual differences in the control of unwanted thought. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 32, 871-878.

Wells, A. & Matthews, G. (1996). Modelling cognition in emotional disorder: The S-REF model. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 34, 881-888.

Wells, A. & Matthews, G. (1996). Anxiety and Cognition. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 9, 422-426.

Cartwright-Hatton, S. & Wells, A. (1997). Beliefs about worry and intrusions: The Meta-Cognitions Questionnaire and its correlates. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 11, 279-296.

Papageorgiou, C. & Wells, A. (1998). Effects of attention training in hypochondriasis: An experimental case series. Psychological Medicine, 28, 193-200.

Wells, A. & Purdon, C. (1999). Meta-cognition and cognitive behaviour therapy: A special issue. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 2, 71-72.

Gaskell, S., Wells, A. & Calam, R. (2001). An experimental investigation of thought suppression and anxiety in children. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 40, 45-56.

Cartwright-Hatton, S., Mather, A., Illingworth, V., Brocki, J., Harrington, R. & Wells, A. (2004). Development and preliminary validation of the Meta-Cognitions Questionnaire �� Adolescent Version. Anxiety Disorders, 18, 411-422.

Wells, A. & Cartwright-Hatton, S. (2004). A short form of the metacognitions questionnaire: properties of the MCQ 30. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 42, 385-396.

Wells, A. (2005). Detached Mindfulness in Cognitive Therapy: A metacognitive analysis and ten techniques. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive –Behavior Therapy, 23, 337-355.

Wells, A. (2007). The Attention Training Technique: Theory, effects and a metacognitive hypothesis on auditory hallucinations. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 14, 134-138.

Wells, A. & Matthews, G. (1994) Attention and Emotion: A clinical perspective. Hove UK: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Wells, A.(2000). Emotional Disorders and Metacognition: Innovative Cognitive Therapy. Chichester, UK: Wiley.

Cooper, M., Todd, G. & Wells, A. (In press). Cognitive Therapy for Bulimia Nervosa: A Clinician’s Guide. London, UK: Routledge.

Wells, A. (2008). Metacognitive Therapy for Anxiety and Depression. New York: Guilford Press.

Papageorgiou, C. & Wells, A. (2004). Depressive Rumination: Nature, Theory, and Treatment. Chichester, UK: Wiley

Davey, G.C.L. & Wells, A. (2006). Worry & Psychological Disorders: Assessment & Treatment. Chichester, UK: Wiley.

Wells, A. (1994) Attention and the control of worry. In: G. C. L. Davey & F. Tallis (eds.): Worrying: Perspectives on theory, assessment and treatment. Chichester UK: Wiley. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

Wells, A. (2003). Anxiety disorders, metacognition and change. In: R.L. Leahy (ed.). Roadblocks in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: Transforming challenges into opportunities for change. New York: Guilford.

Wells, A. (2006). The Anxious Thoughts Inventory and Related Measures of Metacognition and Worry. In: G.C.L. Davey & A. Wells (Eds.). Worry and Psychological Disorders: Assessment and Treatment. Chichester, UK: Wiley.

Wells, A. (1999). Trattamento cognitivo deci disturbi d'ansia (Edizione italiana a cura di, Claudio Sica). Milano, Italia: McGraw-Hill.

Wells, A. & Matthews, G. (2002). Attention and Emotion: A Clinical Perspective. Japanese translation: Tokyo: Befunken.

Wells, A. (2003). Disturbi emozionali e metacognizione: Nuove strategie di psicoterapia cognitiva. Italy: Erickson.

Wells, A. (2003). Cognitieve therapie bij angststoornissen: Een praktische handleiding. Nederlandstalige: Hbuitgevers.

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Self-Attention and Self-Regulation


Spada, M. M., Georgiou, G. & Wells, A. (2010). The relationship among metacognitions, attentional control and state anxiety. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 39, 64-71.

Yilmaz, A.E., Gencoz, T. & Wells, A. (2010). The temporal precedence of metacognition in the development of anxiety and depression symptoms in the context of life stress: A prospective study. Journal of Anxiety Disorders,

Wells, A. & Matthews G. (1994). Attention and Emotion: A Clinical Perspective. Hove, UK:Erlbaum.

Wells, A. (1985) Relationships between private self-consciousness and anxiety scores in threatening situations. Psychological Reports, 57, 1063-1066.

Matthews, G. & Wells, A. (1988) Relationships between anxiety, self-consciousness and cognitive failures. Cognition and Emotion, 2, 123-132.

Wells, A. (1990) Effects of dispositional self-focus, appraisal, and attention instructions on responses to a threatening stimulus. Anxiety Research, 3, 291-301.

Wells, A. & Matthews, G. (1994) Self-consciousness and cognitive failures as predictors of coping in stressful episodes. Cognition and Emotion, 8, 279-295.

Matthews, G. & Wells, A. (1996) Attentional Processes, Dysfunctional Coping, and Clinical Intervention. In: M. Zeidner & N. Endler (eds.): Handbook of Coping: Theory, Research, Applications. New York: Wiley.

Matthews, G. & Wells, A. (1999). The cognitive science of emotion and attention. In: M. Power & T. Dalgleish (eds.). Handbook of Cognition and Emotion. Hove UK: Erlbaum.

Matthews, G. & Wells, A. (2000). Attention, automaticity, and affective disorder. Behaviour Modification, 24, 69-93.

James, A. & Wells, A. (2003) Religion and mental health: Towards a cognitive-behavioural framework. British Journal of Health Psychology, 8, 359-376.


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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy


Wells, A. & Dattilio, F. (1992) Negative outcome in cognitive-behaviour therapy: A case study. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 20, 291-294.

Wells, A. (1997). Cognitive Therapy of Anxiety Disorders: A practice manual and conceptual guide. Chichester, UK: Wiley.

Tarrier, N., Wells, A. & Haddock, G. (1998). Cognitive-behaviour therapy of complex cases. Chichester UK: Wiley

Wells, A. (1992) Stress. In: A. Freeman & F. Dattilio (eds.): Comprehensive casebook of cognitive therapy. New York: Plenum Press.

Wells, A. (1992) Cognitive therapy of anxiety and cognitive theories of causation. In: G. D. Burrows, Sir M. Roth & R. Noyes (eds.): Handbook of anxiety (Vol 5): Contemporary issues and prospects for research in anxiety disorders.

Clark, D. M. & Wells, A. (1996). Cognitive therapy of anxiety disorders. In: L. J. Dickstein, M. Riba & J. M. Oldham (eds.) American Psychiatric Press Review of Psychiatry, Vol,16.American Psychiatric Press.

Wells, A. (2000). Modifying Social Anxiety : A Cognitive Approach. In: R. Crozier (ed). Shyness: Development consolidation, and change. London, UK: Routledge.

Wells, A. (2002). Brief cognitive therapy for social phobia. In: Windy Dryden and Frank Bond (eds.). Brief Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. Chichester, UK: Wiley.

Wells, A. (2005). CBT and Anxiety. In: A. Freeman (Ed.). Encyclopedia of Cognitive Behavior Therapy. New York: Springer.

Wells, A. (2006). Cognitive Therapy Case Formulation in Anxiety Disorders. In: N. Tarrier (Ed.). Case Formulation in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. London, UK: Brunner-Routledge.

Wells, A. & Matthews, G. (2006). Cognitive vulnerability to anxiety disorders: An integration. In: L.B. Alloy & J.H.Riskind (Eds.). Cognitive Vulnerability to Emotional Disorders. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Wells, A. (2007). CBT and Anxiety: Generalized Anxiety Disorder. In: A. Freeman (Ed.). International Encyclopedia of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. New York: Kluwer/Plenum.

Hagen, R., Nordahl, H.M., Kristiansen, L., & Morken, G. (2005). A randomized trial of cognitive group therapy vs. Waiting list for patients with comorbid psychiatric disorders: Effects of cognitive group therapy after treatment and six and 12 months follow up. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 33, 33-44.


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Personality Disorder & Schema-focused CBT


Nordahl, H. M. & Nysæter, T.E.(2005). Schema therapy for patients with Borderline Personality Disorder. A single case series. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 36, 254-264.

Nordahl, H. M., Holthe, H., & Haugum, J. A. (2005). Early Maladaptive Schemas in Patients with or Without Personality Disorders: Does Schema Modification Predict Symptomatic Relief? Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 12, 142-149.

Hoffart, A., Nordahl, H. M., Stiles, T. C. (2005) Connection between patients and therapist and therapists competence in Schema-focused therapy of personality problems. Psychotherapy Research, 15, 409-419.

Nordahl, H. M. & Stiles, T. C. (1997). Perceptions of parental bonding in patients with various personality disorders, lifetime depressive disorders and healthy controls. Journal of Personality Disorders, 11, 391-402.

Nordahl, H.M & Ingul, J. M., Nordvik, H., & Wells, A. (2007). Can maternal psychopathology discriminate between children with DSM-IV Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder? The contribution of axis I and axis II psychopathology. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 16, 87-95.

Nordahl, H. M., & Stiles, T. C. (2007). Personality styles in patients with Fibromyalgia, Major depressive disorder and healthy controls. Annals of General Psychiatry. 6, 2-11.

Nordahl, H. M., & Wells, A. (in prep). Abnormal Psychosocial situations related to Psychological disorders in Children: A comparison of DSM-IV Generalized Anxiety Disorders and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. British Journal of Psychiatry


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