Assessing Metacognitions in Compulsive Exercising: The Construction and Evaluation of the Metacognitions About Exercise Questionnaire

The metacognitive model of psychopathology has been applied to various psychological disorders, with a wide array of studies suggesting that metacognitions play an important role in addictive behaviors. Increasing scientific attention has been focused on a potential and relatively new form of behavioral addiction: compulsive exercising (i.e., when individuals gradually lose control over their exercise habits, act compulsively, and experience negative consequences). As no prior study has evaluated the role of metacognitions in compulsive exercising, the current study aimed to: (i) develop a self-report questionnaire measuring metacognitions about exercise; and (ii) to investigate the contribution of metacognitions to compulsive exercising. A 15 item self-report questionnaire, the Metacognitions about Exercise Questionnaire (MEPQ), was developed and administered to a community sample of 496 exercisers (F = 49.2%, mean age: 39.38, SD = 14.08). Factor analysis revealed a 4-factor solution (which explained 67.22% of variance; fit indices: χ² (84) = 176.12, p <.001; χ²/df = 2.1; RMSEA [90% CI] =.07 [.05;.08]; CFI =.97; SRMR =.06): Positive Metacognitions about Emotional Regulation, Positive Metacognitions about Cognitive Regulation, Positive Metacognitions about Control Over Life, and Negative Metacognitions about Uncontrollability. Positive metacognitions about the usefulness of physical exercise for regulating negative emotional states and negative metacognitions about one’s inability to control the need to exercise significantly predicted compulsive exercising, independently of negative affect. The results of this study suggest that adopting the metacognitive framework of psychopathology to compulsive exercising may be relevant to understanding and treating this condition.