Thought-action fusion in obsessive compulsive disorder

Recent psychometric results suggested that the phenomenon of thought-action fusion (TAF) is implicated in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The construct of TAF has two components: (a) the belief that thinking about an unacceptable or disturbing event makes it more likely to happen and (b) the belief that having an unacceptable thought is the moral equivalent of carrying out the unacceptable or disturbing action. The construct of TAF is explored, and its relevance to responsibility and obsessive-compulsive disorder examined. A highly reliable questionnaire to measure TAF has been developed, and psychometric data obtained from two studies are presented. TAF was higher in obsessional samples than in nonobsessional samples, particularly the belief that thinking about a negative event involving other people makes the event more likely to happen.