The Effect of Dissociative Experiences on the Relationship Between Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms and Schizotypal Personality Traits: The Mediating Role of Inferential Confusion

Abstract

Background: A number of studies have found a possible linkage between obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) and schizotypy. Inferential confusion (IC) can explain the reasoning processes behind both of them. The mechanisms by which some people become more or less inferentially confused are unknown. Dissociation is one of the variables that may contribute to these mechanisms. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the fitness of the proposed model about the effect of dissociative experiences on the relationship between OCS and schizotypy by considering the mediating role of IC and moderating role of negative affect (NA). Methods: Our study sample consisted of 341 students, selected using cluster sampling method. Data were analyzed using Amos-22 software by structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: The study results showed that the data were fitted with the proposed model. Findings about the negative affect’s moderating role indicated that among all paths in the model, only the IC path to OCS was moderated by negative affect. Conclusions: It was concluded that a tendency to experience dissociative states may have increased the vulnerability of individuals to IC. Inferential confusion, in turn, may have developed unusual ways of thinking about reality, which is a common feature of obsessive-compulsive spectrum and schizotypal personality traits.