Metacognition in individuals with psychosis.

Metacognition has only received significant attention within the field of psychosis during the last 2 decades. With this burgeoning interest, independent researchers have investigated metacognitive abilities in individuals with psychosis without a consensus regarding how to define metacognition or where its boundaries lie. This has resulted in 3 separate frameworks for understanding metacognition, namely as a) an awareness of one's own abilities and cognitive biases, b) beliefs about one's own thought processes, and c) a process by which one incorporates multiple pieces of evidence into understanding the self and others. In using each of these frameworks, researchers have discovered significant associations between metacognition and functional outcomes, and each framework has produced metacognitive intervention strategies that have demonstrated promise in improving the lives of those with psychosis. However, the variety of definitions makes interpreting findings across the literature challenging and results in a lack of clarity regarding how to best move forward. Efforts are currently underway to reach agreement on a consensus definition and to develop a clear pathway for future research.