**2. The MetaFlex framework: integrating metacognition and psychological flexibility**

The integration of metacognition and psychological flexibility provides a promising framework for understanding and enhancing individuals' cognitive and emotional processes, as well as their overall well-being. Metacognition, which involves the awareness and regulation of one's own cognitive processes, can complement psychological flexibility, which focuses on adaptively responding to thoughts, emotions, and experiences in line with personal values. Recent studies support the notion that combining these two constructs can yield synergistic benefits.

Research by Sugiura and Sugiura [1, 4] found that individuals with higher levels of metacognitive awareness demonstrated greater psychological flexibility. Metacognitive awareness facilitated the ability to recognize and regulate unhelpful thinking patterns, enabling individuals to flexibly respond to challenging situations and align their behavior with their values. Similarly, a study by de Bruin et al. [3] highlighted the positive relationship between metacognitive skills and psychological flexibility, emphasizing that metacognition can enhance individuals' ability to adaptively respond to their thoughts and emotions. Moreover, a study by Gloster et al. [24, 25] examined the role of metacognitive beliefs in the context of psychological flexibility. The findings indicated that individuals with more flexible metacognitive beliefs, characterized by a balanced view of their thoughts and emotions, exhibited higher levels of psychological flexibility. These results suggest that metacognitive beliefs can influence individuals' ability to engage in valued actions, despite the presence of challenging thoughts or emotions.

Additionally, studies have shown that interventions targeting metacognitive processes and psychological flexibility can lead to positive outcomes. For instance, a randomized controlled trial by Gillanders et al. [26] evaluated the effectiveness of a metacognitive therapy intervention that incorporated elements of psychological flexibility. The intervention resulted in improved psychological flexibility and reductions in symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Recent studies provide empirical support for the integration of metacognition and psychological flexibility. Metacognition enhances individuals' awareness of their cognitive processes and beliefs, allowing for more flexible responses to thoughts and emotions. This integration has been associated with improved psychological flexibility and positive outcomes. Further research and interventions combining these constructs hold promise for enhancing cognitive and emotional well-being and promoting personal growth.

## **2.1 Exploring the synergistic relationship between metacognition and psychological flexibility**

Metacognition and psychological flexibility are two distinct constructs that play complementary roles in enhancing cognitive and emotional processes. Metacognition involves the awareness and regulation of one's own cognitive processes, including thinking, memory, and problem-solving. On the other hand, psychological flexibility refers to the ability to adaptively respond to thoughts, emotions, and experiences in a way that aligns with personal values and goals. While these constructs operate at different levels of cognitive processing, recent research suggests that they have a synergistic relationship that can enhance overall well-being and personal growth.

The integration of metacognition and psychological flexibility allows individuals to develop a deeper understanding of their cognitive and emotional experiences, as well as the ability to respond to them in a flexible and adaptive manner. By cultivating metacognitive awareness, individuals become more attuned to their thoughts, emotions, and beliefs, allowing them to recognize unhelpful thinking patterns and biases. This heightened self-awareness enables individuals to disengage from automatic and rigid cognitive processes, promoting psychological flexibility.

Studies have demonstrated a positive relationship between metacognition and psychological flexibility. For instance, research by Levin et al. [27] found that metacognitive awareness was associated with greater psychological flexibility in individuals with anxiety disorders. The study revealed that those who exhibited higher levels of metacognitive awareness were better able to engage in valued actions, despite experiencing anxious thoughts and emotions. This suggests that metacognition can enhance individuals' ability to respond flexibly to challenging internal experiences (**Table 1**).

Moreover, metacognition can facilitate the application of psychological flexibility strategies. For example, the process of cognitive defusion, which involves creating distance from unhelpful thoughts and beliefs, can be strengthened through metacognitive awareness. By recognizing thoughts as mental events rather than accurate representations of reality, individuals can defuse from them more effectively and choose responses that align with their values. The integration of metacognition and psychological flexibility has practical implications for interventions and therapies. Combining metacognitive strategies with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) or cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) interventions can provide individuals with a comprehensive toolkit for enhancing cognitive and emotional well-being. Interventions that target metacognitive processes, such as metacognitive therapy, can be integrated with techniques that promote psychological flexibility, such as values clarification and mindfulness. This integrated approach allows individuals to develop metacognitive skills that support flexible responses to their thoughts and emotions, ultimately leading to improved mental health outcomes.


### **Table 1.**

*Relationship between metacognition and psychological flexibility as MetaFlex framework [27].*

*Perspective Chapter: The MetaFlex Framework – Harnessing Metacognition to Foster… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.113920*

The relationship between metacognition and psychological flexibility is synergistic, as they mutually enhance and support each other. Metacognitive awareness provides individuals with the ability to recognize and regulate their cognitive processes, while psychological flexibility allows for adaptive responses to thoughts and emotions in alignment with personal values. Future research and interventions can further explore and leverage this synergistic relationship to promote well-being, personal growth, and effective coping strategies in various contexts.

### **2.2 Role of metacognition in enhancing psychological flexibility and promoting growth**

Metacognition plays a crucial role in enhancing psychological flexibility and promoting personal growth. When integrated with psychological flexibility, metacognition can facilitate adaptive responses to internal experiences, promote resilience, and foster personal growth. Metacognition enables individuals to become aware of their thoughts and beliefs, including their accuracy, biases, and impact on emotions and behaviors. This awareness allows individuals to recognize unhelpful or negative thinking patterns and cognitive distortions. By identifying and challenging these patterns, individuals can cultivate psychological flexibility and develop more adaptive ways of thinking. Metacognition supports cognitive defusion, a process central to psychological flexibility. Cognitive diffusion involves creating distance from and changing the relationship with one's thoughts, allowing individuals to observe them as mental events rather than absolute truths. Metacognitive awareness helps individuals recognize the transient nature of thoughts and reduces their impact on emotions and behaviors, enabling more flexible and adaptive responses.

Metacognition encourages self-reflection, introspection, and the ability to take different perspectives. Through metacognitive processes, individuals can reflect on their thoughts, emotions, and experiences, gaining insights into their own cognitive and emotional processes. This self-reflection promotes self-understanding, empathy, and a broader perspective, all of which contribute to psychological flexibility and personal growth. Metacognition involves monitoring and regulating emotions, which are integral components of psychological flexibility. By being aware of their emotional states, individuals can identify when emotions are driving their thoughts and behaviors. This awareness allows individuals to choose responses aligned with their values rather than being driven by reactive emotions. Metacognitive strategies, such as emotion regulation techniques and mindfulness, can enhance emotional selfregulation and support psychological flexibility.

Metacognition facilitates learning from experiences and adjusting cognitive and behavioral strategies accordingly. Through metacognitive processes, individuals can reflect on past experiences, evaluate their effectiveness, and make moral and mature adjustments for future situations [28]. Popandopulo et al. [29, 30] highlight the iterative process of self-reflection and learning enhances adaptive responses, fosters personal growth, and promotes the development of more effective coping strategies. Research supports the link between metacognition and psychological flexibility. Studies have found that metacognitive interventions, such as metacognitive therapy or mindfulness-based approaches, enhance psychological flexibility and reduce psychological distress [31, 32]. The integration of metacognitive strategies within Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has also shown promising results in promoting psychological flexibility [27].

Research supports the importance of metacognition and psychological flexibility in promoting growth and well-being. For example, a study by Sauer et al. (2019) found that metacognitive awareness was positively associated with psychological well-being and adaptive coping strategies. Individuals with higher levels of metacognitive awareness demonstrated greater emotional regulation and resilience in the face of stressors.

Similarly, research by Kashdan et al. [33] highlighted the benefits of psychological flexibility for well-being. The study showed that psychological flexibility was associated with higher levels of life satisfaction, positive emotions, and overall psychological well-being. It also found that psychological flexibility played a protective role against the negative impact of stress on mental health.

Interventions that target metacognition and psychological flexibility have also shown promise in promoting growth and well-being. For instance, metacognitive therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) interventions incorporate strategies to enhance metacognition and psychological flexibility, respectively. These interventions have been effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders while promoting personal growth and adaptive functioning.

Metacognition plays a crucial role in enhancing psychological flexibility and promoting personal growth. By cultivating metacognitive awareness, individuals can develop a deeper understanding of their cognitive and emotional processes, challenge unhelpful thoughts and beliefs, regulate emotions, and engage in adaptive responses. The integration of metacognition with interventions and therapies can support individuals in developing greater psychological flexibility, resilience, and personal growth. Metacognition and psychological flexibility are essential for promoting growth and well-being. Metacognition enables individuals to develop selfawareness, challenge unhelpful thinking patterns, and improve cognitive functioning. Psychological flexibility empowers individuals to accept their internal experiences, make choices aligned with their values, and respond adaptively to life's challenges. By cultivating these constructs, individuals can enhance their resilience, cope effectively with stressors, and pursue meaningful and fulfilling lives.

## **2.3 Core components of the MetaFlex framework**
