Development and validation of the epistemological processing model: a new approach to understanding anxiety and therapeutic techniques

The prevalence of mental health disorders is an increasingly pressing contemporary issue that requires comprehensive understanding of cognitive processes to support delivery of effective treatments. This thesis draws on extensive literature analyses to propose a model of epistemological processing, with possibilities for new or enhanced therapeutic approaches. A review of existing psychotherapies used in treatment of anxiety, including cognitive and metacognitive approaches, revealed the absence of epistemological processing in existing therapeutic models, which may restrict the effectiveness of existing psychotherapies. The next stage of the work therefore involved a qualitative analysis of 241 peer-reviewed articles, to investigate the role of epistemological processing. This identified key components of epistemological processing and explored how researchers in epistemology acquire, evaluate and process information. Based on that analysis, a hypothesised epistemological motivation model is presented, and is considered in the context of embodied cognition. The model was quantitatively tested against a metadataset drawn from 102 articles in an existing meta-analytic study from the field of competition and performance. A total of 1338 effect sizes were investigated in three-level meta-regression analyses. The hypothesised model fitted the data satisfactorily, and results identified interference with competition conditions causing unreliable epistemological processing. Based on the above, it is argued that building reliable epistemological processing could underpin a new therapeutic approach to the treatment of anxiety. This is termed ‘epistemological motivation therapy’. The final chapter explores this possibility, illustrating the potential of epistemological motivation therapy to contribute to existing treatment options for anxiety, and outlining its distinct features. A three-stage procedure of anxiety management is proposed, which in future can be trialled in clinical settings to establish efficacy. Conclusions highlight the potential benefits and opportunities that the epistemological processing model may offer in multiple disciplines.