Thought-action fusion (TAF) is the phenomenon whereby one has difficulty separating cognitions, particularly those that are intrusive and disturbing, from their corresponding behaviors. Recent work has suggested that TAF is malleable and amenable to change. The current study examined the effects of three different psychoeducational interventions on thought-action fusion, anxiety, thought suppression, magical thinking, and responsibility cognitions. Assessments were conducted both immediately following the interventions and after a two-week period. Results indicated that individuals who received a cognitive-based intervention that targeted irrational thoughts had significantly lower TAF scores than individuals who received an intervention that discussed thoughts from a non-evaluative framework and individuals in the control group, both immediately following the intervention and at the two-week follow-up. As hypothesized, all groups experienced a significant decrease in anxiety between the post-intervention and follow-up assessments; however, there was a trend towards significance for those who were exposed to the cognitive-based intervention to experience a greater decrease in anxiety than those in the control group. The cognitive-based intervention group was the only group that did not experience a significant increase in thought-suppression from baseline to post-intervention, and was also the only group to experience an increase in both frequency of and belief in low-responsibility thoughts from baseline to follow-up. No significant group differences were found for the construct of magical thinking. Implications are discussed.

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Religious obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or scrupulosity is a subtype of OCD consisting of religious-themed obsessions and/or compulsions. Individuals with scrupulosity are most likely first to disclose symptoms and seek help from their religious leaders. As a result, religious leaders’ responses to disclosed symptoms may have a substantial impact on the course of the disorder, including how individuals interpret their symptoms and whether they decide to seek assistance from a mental health provider. Despite the potentially important role of religious leaders in the course of scrupulosity, research focused on the religious leaders’ perceptions of scrupulosity is limited. Further, little is known about the guidance and recommendations religious leaders provide to individuals with scrupulosity. As a result, more research is needed to understand how religious leaders respond to scrupulosity. In response to this need, the purpose of the current study is to enhance the understanding of religious leaders’ perceptions of and responses to scrupulosity. Of particular interest is how religious leaders respond to those who report both unwanted, intrusive thoughts and indulgent thoughts that do not align with religious principles. Finally, this study will also seek to assess any patterns or differences in the perceptions of scrupulosity across different religious affiliations. A sample of 15 religious leaders affiliated with a variety of faiths, including Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism, took part in this study. Participants engaged in a semi- structured interview to obtain a comprehensive understanding of how religious leaders perceive scrupulous symptomatology. This line of research has the potential to improve collaboration between religious leaders and mental health providers who encounter individuals with scrupulosity and inform means to improve treatment outcomes for religious/moral OCD.

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