How does thought-action fusion relate to responsibility attitudes and thought suppression to aggravate the obsessive-compulsive symptoms?
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.


OBJECTIVE
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.


METHODS
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.
Altın
Müjgan
M
Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey.
Gençöz
Tülin
T
D000293:Adolescent; D001290:Attitude; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008297:Male; D009014:Morals; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012941:Social Responsibility; D013850:Thinking; D055815:Young Adult