Background Distortions in metacognition—the ability to reflect on and control other cognitive processes—are thought to be characteristic of poor mental health. However, it remains unknown whether such shifts in self-evaluation are due to specific alterations in metacognition and/or a downstream consequence of changes in decision-making processes. Methods Using perceptual decision making as a model system, we employed a computational psychiatry approach to relate parameters governing both decision formation and metacognitive evaluation to self-reported transdiagnostic symptom dimensions in a large general population sample (N = 995). Results Variability in psychopathology was unrelated to either speed or accuracy of decision formation. In contrast, leveraging a dimensional approach, we revealed independent relationships between psychopathology and metacognition: a symptom dimension related to anxiety and depression was associated with lower confidence and heightened metacognitive efficiency, whereas a dimension characterizing compulsive behavior and intrusive thoughts was associated with higher confidence and lower metacognitive efficiency. Furthermore, we obtained a robust double dissociation—whereas psychiatric symptoms predicted changes in metacognition but not decision performance, age predicted changes in decision performance but not metacognition. Conclusions Our findings indicate a specific and pervasive link between metacognition and mental health. Our study bridges a gap between an emerging neuroscience of decision making and an understanding of metacognitive alterations in psychopathology.

中文翻译：

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精神症状维度与元认知的可分离变化相关，但与任务表现无关

背景 元认知（反思和控制其他认知过程的能力）的扭曲被认为是心理健康状况不佳的特征。然而，目前尚不清楚这种自我评价的转变是否是由于元认知的特定改变和/或决策过程变化的下游后果造成的。方法 使用知觉决策作为模型系统，我们采用计算精神病学方法将控制决策形成和元认知评估的参数与大型普通人群样本（N = 995）中自我报告的跨诊断症状维度相关联。结果 精神病理学的变异性与决策形成的速度或准确性无关。相比之下，利用维度方法，我们揭示了精神病理学和元认知之间的独立关系：与焦虑和抑郁相关的症状维度与较低的自信心和较高的元认知效率相关，而表征强迫行为和侵入性思想的维度与较高的自信心和元认知效率相关。元认知效率较低。此外，我们获得了稳健的双重分离——精神症状预测了元认知的变化，但不能预测决策表现的变化，而年龄可以预测决策表现的变化，但不能预测元认知的变化。结论 我们的研究结果表明元认知和心理健康之间存在特定且普遍的联系。我们的研究弥合了新兴的决策神经科学与精神病理学元认知改变的理解之间的差距。