Inferential Confusion, Cognitive Change and Treatment Outcome in Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder

Inferential confusion has been defined as a confusion between reality and possibility, where the person with Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD) persists in his/her obsessional belief despite sense information to the contrary. The current study investigates whether inferential confusion is associated with treatment outcome in an OCD sample receiving cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT). Results indicated that changes in inferential confusion as measured by the Inferential Confusion Questionnaire (ICQ) were significantly associated with treatment outcome. In addition, inferential confusion showed differential validity as a cognitive marker in OCD and was specifically associated with change in obsessive–compulsive symptoms during treatment, rather than confounded with change in negative mood states. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of the concept of inferential confusion for obsessive–compulsive disorder with and without schizotypal characteristics. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.