Metacognitive Belief-Testing
Test out a belief you hold about a thinking habit such as worry or rumination - examining how necessary, helpful, and controllable that habit really is.
Written by Tarun Vermani, Trainee Clinical Psychologist Last reviewed
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Metacognitive Belief-Testing
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Pick a Thinking Habit
Choose one mental habit to focus on - not a single worry, but the activity itself.
The Belief About the Habit
We are interested in what you believe about the thinking itself - not whether the thoughts are true.
Design a Test
Plan a small experiment that directly puts the belief to the test.
What Actually Happened
Complete this after running the test.
Update the Belief
Re-rate the same belief in light of what you found.
Patterns Across Tests
Use this once you have run a few tests to look at the bigger picture.
| # | Date | Belief tested | Predicted outcome | What happened | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Next Steps
Choose the metacognitive strategies you will keep practising.
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When to use ‘Metacognitive Belief-Testing’
‘Metacognitive Belief-Testing’ is an interactive cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) worksheet, most often used in CBT for generalised anxiety (GAD).
It is designed to be used within therapy rather than as a standalone self-help tool: a therapist introduces it, works through it collaboratively, and helps make sense of what it surfaces. You can preview the full worksheet above, then assign it digitally for clients to complete between sessions on any device — or download it as a print-ready PDF.
How it works
Most people work through it in around 20 minutes. It moves through six short steps:
- Pick a Thinking Habit — Choose one mental habit to focus on - not a single worry, but the activity itself.
- The Belief About the Habit — We are interested in what you believe about the thinking itself - not whether the thoughts are true.
- Design a Test — Plan a small experiment that directly puts the belief to the test.
- What Actually Happened — Complete this after running the test.
- Update the Belief — Re-rate the same belief in light of what you found.
- Patterns Across Tests — Use this once you have run a few tests to look at the bigger picture.
Completed on the Formulate platform, your client's answers are saved automatically and shared straight back to you, so you can review them before the next session rather than waiting for a paper copy to come back.
The CBT approach behind it
In common with other CBT methods, ‘Metacognitive Belief-Testing’ works by testing fearful predictions through real-world behavioural experiments. The aim is not positive thinking but a clearer, shared understanding of what keeps a difficulty going — and practical, testable ways to change it.
Because it is a CBT tool it stays focused on the here-and-now links between thoughts, feelings, the body and behaviour, and it works best as one part of a wider course of therapy rather than as advice or a diagnosis.
Evidence & sources
This worksheet is grounded in established cognitive behavioural therapy theory and practice. Key sources include:
- Wells, A. (1995). Meta-cognition and worry: A cognitive model of generalized anxiety disorder. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 23(3), 301-320.
- Wells, A. (2009). Metacognitive Therapy for Anxiety and Depression. New York: Guilford Press.
For use alongside professional support
Formulate provides educational CBT resources for use with a qualified therapist. They are not a substitute for professional assessment, diagnosis, or crisis care.
If you need urgent help now:
- Emergency services: 999 — if you or someone else is in immediate danger
- Samaritans: 116 123 — free, day or night, 365 days a year
- SANEline: 0800 689 5555 — 4:30pm–10:30pm, every day
More Generalised Anxiety (GAD) worksheets
View all Generalised Anxiety (GAD) worksheets →Generalised Anxiety (GAD)
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Positive Meta-Beliefs About Worry
Identify and challenge positive beliefs about worrying — the beliefs that keep you worrying because you think it helps.
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