{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T02:35:04Z","timestamp":1790130904157,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,27]],"date-time":"2026-01-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1769472000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Metacognitive Reflection and Insight Therapy (MERIT) is a significant development in psychotherapy for schizophrenia spectrum disorders, emphasizing meaning-making, self-understanding, and self-directed recovery. Grounded in the integrated model of metacognition, MERIT aims to help individuals form more complex and integrated understandings of themselves, others, and their community. Recent studies support its impact on metacognition, functioning, and recovery, though its flexible, process-based nature presents challenges for research standardization and widespread dissemination. This mini review summarizes MERIT\u2019s theoretical foundations, empirical support, and clinical applications, while discussing current controversies and research gaps. We conclude by identifying future directions for expanding MERIT across diagnostic groups and furthering our understanding of metacognitive change as a mechanism of recovery.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1746025","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,27]],"date-time":"2026-01-27T06:39:43Z","timestamp":1769495983000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Metacognitive reflection and insight therapy: a mini-review of advances, challenges, and future directions"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Courtney N.","family":"Wiesepape","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, Indiana State University","place":["Terre Haute, IN, United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bethany L.","family":"Leonhardt","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center, Eskenazi Health","place":["Indianapolis, IN, United States"]},{"name":"Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine","place":["Indianapolis, IN, United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jay A.","family":"Hamm","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center, Eskenazi Health","place":["Indianapolis, IN, United States"]},{"name":"College of Pharmacy Practice, Purdue University","place":["West Lafayette, IN, United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Laura A.","family":"Faith","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center","place":["Indianapolis, IN, United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"175","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.psychotherapy.20180037","article-title":"Metacognitive reflection and insight therapy (MERIT) among people with schizophrenia: lessons from two case studies","volume":"71","author":"Arnon-Ribenfeld","year":"2018","journal-title":"Am. J. Psychother."},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"145","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.psychotherapy.20180035","article-title":"Metacognitive reflection and insight therapy (MERIT): application to a long-term therapy case of borderline personality disorder","volume":"71","author":"Buck","year":"2018","journal-title":"Am. J. 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