Pre-to-Post Analyses of Cognitive Bias Modification in Targeting Primary Obsessions
Mentor 1
Han Joo Lee
Location
Union Wisconsin Room
Start Date
5-4-2019 1:30 PM
End Date
5-4-2019 3:30 PM
Description
Thought-Action-Fusion (TAF) is an important cognitive bias in OCD, referring to the belief that having a random, strange thought increases the chance of an event occurring or represents a person’s true dark morality. The Thought-Action Fusion Scale-Revised (TAFS; Shafran et al., 1996) captures the general moral and likelihood constructs of TAF but does not consider idiosyncrasy of obsessional symptoms. Siwiec and colleagues (2017) developed the Primary Obsession Evaluation of TAF Scale (POETS) to assess primary obsessional intrusions in terms of TAF bias and associated negative emotions.
Participants were undergraduates (N=57) reporting TAF belief, were randomized to either: (a) an Active CBM-I (TAF Incongruent; TAF-INC), (b) a Control/Maintenance CBM-I (TAF-CON) that does not challenge TAF thoughts, or (c) Stress Management Psychoeducation (SMP), a comparison condition that reduces obsessional severity without directly targeting TAF. Primary outcome measures were the TAFS and POETS, a 15-item self-report measure, incorporating three subscales, (1) general emotional reaction (POETS-GE), (2) moral TAF (POETS-M), and (3) likelihood TAF (POETS-L). Findings supports the POETS’ construct validity, as well as its internal consistency.
Results indicate there was a significant difference between conditions at post-training on POETS-M (F(2,50) = 5.14, p = .009, η2 = .10), POETS-L (F(2,50) = 4.59, p = .015, η2 = .10), and POETS-GE (F(2,50) = 3.419 p = .049, η2 = .07).
Findings indicate a single session of computerized cognitive bias modification for interpretations (CBM-I) can reduce TAF belief and distress, including primary obsessions, as measured by the POETS. The implications of these findings will be discussed.
Pre-to-Post Analyses of Cognitive Bias Modification in Targeting Primary Obsessions
Union Wisconsin Room
Thought-Action-Fusion (TAF) is an important cognitive bias in OCD, referring to the belief that having a random, strange thought increases the chance of an event occurring or represents a person’s true dark morality. The Thought-Action Fusion Scale-Revised (TAFS; Shafran et al., 1996) captures the general moral and likelihood constructs of TAF but does not consider idiosyncrasy of obsessional symptoms. Siwiec and colleagues (2017) developed the Primary Obsession Evaluation of TAF Scale (POETS) to assess primary obsessional intrusions in terms of TAF bias and associated negative emotions.
Participants were undergraduates (N=57) reporting TAF belief, were randomized to either: (a) an Active CBM-I (TAF Incongruent; TAF-INC), (b) a Control/Maintenance CBM-I (TAF-CON) that does not challenge TAF thoughts, or (c) Stress Management Psychoeducation (SMP), a comparison condition that reduces obsessional severity without directly targeting TAF. Primary outcome measures were the TAFS and POETS, a 15-item self-report measure, incorporating three subscales, (1) general emotional reaction (POETS-GE), (2) moral TAF (POETS-M), and (3) likelihood TAF (POETS-L). Findings supports the POETS’ construct validity, as well as its internal consistency.
Results indicate there was a significant difference between conditions at post-training on POETS-M (F(2,50) = 5.14, p = .009, η2 = .10), POETS-L (F(2,50) = 4.59, p = .015, η2 = .10), and POETS-GE (F(2,50) = 3.419 p = .049, η2 = .07).
Findings indicate a single session of computerized cognitive bias modification for interpretations (CBM-I) can reduce TAF belief and distress, including primary obsessions, as measured by the POETS. The implications of these findings will be discussed.
