Obsessive beliefs, experiential avoidance, and cognitive fusion as predictors of obsessive-compulsive disorder symptom dimensions

Reuman, Lillian; Buchholz, Jennifer L.; Abramowitz, Jonathan S.

doi:10.1016/j.jcbs.2018.06.001

Cited by 31 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Our third hypothesis that the tendency to overestimate the importance and need to control intrusive thoughts would predict the unacceptable thoughts OCD symptom dimension was supported as well, replicating previous research (Reuman et al, , , ). Although the negative evaluation and emotion regulation domains of cognitive fusion were strongly associated with the unacceptable thoughts OCD symptom dimension, they failed to add to the predictive power of the cognitive–behavioural model accounting for obsessive beliefs and general distress.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

“…Neither obsessive beliefs nor cognitive fusion predicted contamination symptoms, which was unsurprising given that previous findings have been mixed regarding the utility of these constructs in explaining contamination obsessions and washing/cleaning rituals (Reuman et al, ; Viar, Bilsky, Armstrong, & Olatunji, ; Wheaton et al, ). To this effect, obsessions and compulsions regarding contamination primarily focus on external situations and stimuli (Rachman, ), rather than unwanted private experiences such as responsibility, guilt, unacceptable thoughts and feelings, and not‐just‐right experiences that characterize other presentations of OCD.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…Research provides initial support for an association between cognitive fusion and OCD symptoms (Reuman, Buchholz, & Abramowitz, ; Reuman, Buchholz, Blakey, & Abramowitz, ; Reuman, Jacoby, & Abramowitz, ), as well as the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)—which is derived from the principles of RFT—in ameliorating the symptoms of OCD by targeting cognitive fusion (Bluett, Homan, Morrison, Levin, & Twohig, ). Few studies, however, have specifically examined the relevance of cognitive fusion to OCD symptom dimensions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Not just thinking, but believing: Obsessive beliefs and domains of cognitive fusion in the prediction of OCD symptom dimensions

Hellberg

Buchholz

Twohig

et al. 2019

Clin Psychology and Psychoth

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Cognitive fusion (CF) involves the tendency to "buy in" to thoughts and feelings and consists of three empirically established domains: somatic concerns, emotion regulation, and negative evaluation. CF is hypothesized to play a role in obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD). The present study examined how well the CF domains, relative to traditional cognitive-behavioural constructs (i.e., obsessive beliefs such as inflated responsibility), predict OCD symptoms. Fifty-two treatment-seeking adults with OCD completed self-report measures of CF, obsessive beliefs, OCD symptoms, and general distress. Domains of CF were differentially associated with the responsibility for harm, symmetry, and unacceptable thoughts of OCD dimensions; yet after accounting for obsessive beliefs, only the negative evaluation domain of CF significantly predicted symmetry OCD symptoms. Obsessive beliefs significantly predicted all OCD dimensions except for contamination. These findings provide additional support for existing cognitive-behavioural models of OCD across symptom dimensions, with the exception of contamination symptoms, and suggest that the believability of thoughts and feelings about negative evaluation adds to the explanation of symmetry symptoms. Conceptual and treatment implications, study limitations, and future directions are discussed.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Not just thinking, but believing: Obsessive beliefs and domains of cognitive fusion in the prediction of OCD symptom dimensions

Hellberg

Buchholz

Twohig

et al. 2019

Clin Psychology and Psychoth

Self Cite

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“…16 A recent study of 92 individuals with OCD and anxiety disorders almost replicated the results of the Wheaton et al 15 study, even after adding two constructs of cognitive fusion and experiential avoidance to the regression model. 17 However, though it is widely used as a comprehensive measure of OC beliefs, instrument revision has narrowed the OBQ-44's scope of assessment so that potentially important content is omitted. Specifically, the OBQ-44 contains thought-action fusion (TAF) items but it may cover only TAF moral content but not TAF likelihood content.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thought-Action Fusion as Predictors of Obsessive-Compulsive Symptom Dimensions

Kim

Lee

2020

Psychiatry Investig

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Objective There have been several studies investigating the relationships between dysfunctional beliefs and obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, studies about the relationships between dysfunctional beliefs, especially thought-action fusion (TAF), and OC symptom dimensions have been scarce. Therefore, this study examined to what extent and how TAF subcomponents account for unique variability in four OC symptom dimensions.Methods Sixty-five patients with OCD and 45 healthy controls aged between 18 and 30 years completed measures for OC symptom dimensions, OC symptoms, and dysfunctional beliefs such as TAF, trait-guilt, and inflated responsibility.Results Three facets of TAF were exclusively associated with two symptom domains, namely, responsibility for harm and unacceptable thoughts, and explained the additional but small amount of variance to predict these two domains. In particular, the likelihood-others TAF positively predicted the unacceptable thoughts domain, whereas the likelihood-self TAF negatively predicted the aforementioned domain. For OC symptoms measured by the OC Inventory, no TAF components predicted the corresponding obsessing and mental neutralizing symptoms.Conclusion This study provides supporting evidence that the three TAF subcomponents may be differently associated with certain OC symptom dimensions, and a dimensional approach may complement typical symptom-oriented OC measures.

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“…The latter covers a broad array of behaviors, such as suppressing unwanted thoughts or images, distracting oneself or replacing aversive thoughts with more pleasant alternatives (Barlow, 2002). Engaging in such behaviors has been related to the development and maintenance of various anxiety disorders (Spinhoven et al, 2017), like obsessive-compulsive disorder (Purdon, 2004;Reuman et al, 2018), posttraumatic stress disorder (Shipherd & Beck, 2005), and generalized anxiety disorder (Newman et al, 2013;Spinhoven et al, 2014). Within the framework of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), pervasive worry holds a prominent role (Aikins & Craske, 2001;Borkovec et al, 2004).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychometric Properties of the Dutch Cognitive Avoidance Questionnaire

Vanderveren¹,

Debeer²,

Craeynest³

et al. 2020

Psychologica Belgica

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Various psychological disorders, such as major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders, share cognitive avoidance as one of the main mechanisms underlying symptom severity and maintenance. A valid and reliable measure that covers a broad array of cognitive avoidance strategies is therefore instrumental, though currently greedily missing. The Questionnaire d'Évitement Cognitif (QEC) was developed as a comprehensive instrument measuring five cognitive avoidance strategies. The current study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Dutch Cognitive Avoidance Questionnaire (CAQ-NL) in three samples (N sample 1 = 607; N sample 2 = 357; N sample 3 = 448). Confirmatory factor analysis supported the hypothesized five-factor structure of the CAQ-NL. Reliability analysis showed good to excellent internal consistency for the CAQ-NL and its five subscales. Furthermore, Multi-Group CFA revealed that the CAQ-NL demonstrated configural and metric invariance across the three samples. Convergent validity of the CAQ-NL was supported by substantial correlations with brooding, with more cognitive avoidance being related to more brooding. In addition, cognitive avoidance was negatively associated with psychological well-being and positively with symptoms of depression and anxiety, which corroborates the instrument's concurrent validity. Moreover, the CAQ-NL was predictive of depressive symptoms six months later, supporting its predictive validity. In sum, results of the present study provide support for the validity and reliability of the CAQ-NL.

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Obsessive beliefs, experiential avoidance, and cognitive fusion as predictors of obsessive-compulsive disorder symptom dimensions

Cited by 31 publications

References 29 publications

Not just thinking, but believing: Obsessive beliefs and domains of cognitive fusion in the prediction of OCD symptom dimensions

Not just thinking, but believing: Obsessive beliefs and domains of cognitive fusion in the prediction of OCD symptom dimensions

Thought-Action Fusion as Predictors of Obsessive-Compulsive Symptom Dimensions

Psychometric Properties of the Dutch Cognitive Avoidance Questionnaire

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