How Does Thought-Action Fusion Relate to Responsibility Attitudes and Thought Suppression to Aggravate the Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms?

Altin M., GENÇÖZ T.

BEHAVIOURAL AND COGNITIVE PSYCHOTHERAPY, vol.39, no.1, pp.99-114, 2011 (SSCI) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 39 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2011
  • Doi Number: 10.1017/s1352465810000524
  • Journal Name: BEHAVIOURAL AND COGNITIVE PSYCHOTHERAPY
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.99-114
  • Keywords: Thought suppression, responsibility, thought-action fusion, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, OF-THE-LITERATURE, INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS, COGNITIVE THEORY, TURKISH SAMPLE, PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES, NONCLINICAL POPULATION, BELIEFS QUESTIONNAIRE, INFLATED PERCEPTION, MOOD STATE, DISORDER
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Background: Comprehensive cognitive theories of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) propose that clinical obsessions and compulsions arise from specific sorts of dysfunctional beliefs and appraisals, such as inflated sense of responsibility, thought-action fusion (TAF), and thought suppression. Aims: The present study aimed to examine the mediator roles of responsibility and thought suppression between TAF and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Specifically, it aimed to explore the relative effects of TAF factors (i.e. morality and likelihood) on inflated sense of responsibility and on thought suppression to increase the obsessive qualities of intrusions. Method: Two hundred and eighty-three Turkish undergraduate students completed a battery of measures on responsibility, thought suppression, TAF, OC symptoms, and depression. Results: A series of hierarchical regression analyses, where depressive symptoms were controlled for, indicated that TAF-morality and TAF-likelihood follow different paths toward OC symptoms. Although TAF-morality associated with inflated sense of responsibility, TAF-likelihood associated with thought suppression efforts, and in turn these factors increased OC symptoms. Conclusions: These findings provide support for the critical role of sense of responsibility and thought suppression between the relationship of TAF and OC symptoms. Findings were discussed in line with the literature.