People with depression and posttraumatic stress disorder tend to underestimate their cognitive abilities—a pattern that may worsen their mental health. A new study published in Neuropsychology provides evidence that this negative self-perception, known as metacognitive bias, is both common and severe in individuals with high levels of depressive and PTSD symptoms. The researchers also found that targeted or game-based cognitive training can improve these biases and may contribute to a reduction in symptom severity. Depression and PTSD are two of the most common mental health conditions, often marked by persistent negative thoughts and emotional distress. Depression is characterized by symptoms such as sadness, low energy, and loss of interest in daily activities, while PTSD can involve intrusive memories, avoidance of reminders, emotional numbness, and heightened arousal following exposure to traumatic events. Both conditions are known to distort how individuals perceive themselves and the world around them. In recent years, researchers have become increasingly interested in how metacognition—the ability to reflect on and evaluate one’s own thoughts and abilities—may influence mental health. One important aspect of …