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Thought–Action Fusion: Is it Present in Schizophrenia?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2012

Elif Kabakcı*
Affiliation:
Hacettepe University, Department of Psychiatry, Ankara, Turkey. [email protected]
Başaran Demir
Affiliation:
Hacettepe University, Department of Psychiatry, Ankara, Turkey.
Hilal Demirel
Affiliation:
Hacettepe University, Department of Psychiatry, Ankara, Turkey.
Ali Emre Şevik
Affiliation:
Hacettepe University, Department of Psychiatry, Ankara, Turkey.
*
*Address for correspondence: Elif Kabakcı, Hacettepe University, Department of Psychiatry, Sıhhiye, Ankara, 06100, Turkey.
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Abstract

Thought–action fusion (TAF) refers to the belief that thoughts and actions are linked. While ‘Moral’ TAF refers to the belief that unacceptable thoughts are morally equivalent to overt actions, ‘Likelihood’ TAF is the belief that certain thoughts can increase the probability of some events (related to self or others) to occur. The objective of this study was to compare the schizophrenic patients with nonclinical controls in terms of TAF Likelihood and TAF Moral after controlling for the effects of obsessive compulsive and depressive symptoms, magical ideation and schizotypy. The sample was composed of patients hospitalised for schizophrenia (n = 45) and nonclinical control subjects (n = 41). Thought–Action Fusion Scale, Maudsley Obsessive–Compulsive Inventory, Magical Ideation Scale, Schizotypal Personality Characteristics Subscale and Beck Depression Inventory were administered. Results revealed that after controlling the effects of obsessive–compulsive and depressive symptoms, magical ideation and schizotypy, patients still had higher scores on TAF Likelihood Others but not on Self. Patients also had a tendency to get higher scores on TAF Moral. It is concluded that the study shows the presence of TAF Likelihood Others in schizophrenia even after controlling for the effects of magical ideation, depressive and OCD symptoms and schizotypal characteristics.

Type
Case Studies and Shorter Communications
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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