Reality check: An experimental manipulation of inferential confusion in eating disorders

Inferential confusion (IC) entails confusing an imagined possibility with a sensory-based possibility, and acting upon the imagined possibility as if it was real. Although IC was formulated in the context of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), this reasoning bias has shown to be relevant to other obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders, such as eating disorders (EDs). The goal of this study was to induce IC experimentally in individuals with EDs relative to healthy controls (HC).

Thirty-six women (ED group, n = 18; HC group, n = 18) were assigned to one of two experimental conditions: in the High IC condition, participants watched ED-themed videos with key sequences missing - provoking a distrust of the senses and lending more space for the imagination, thus triggering IC. In the Low IC condition, participants watched videos without sequences missing. Participants completed measures of IC, negative affect and compulsive behaviors after watching the videos.

One-way ANOVA indicated that ED participants assigned to the High IC condition reported a greater urge to engage in compulsive behaviors. ED participants also neutralized more after watching the videos and endorsed higher trait IC.

There was no clinical control group.

These findings suggest that individuals with EDs display a greater vulnerability to IC, as they are more prone to compulsive behaviors when IC is triggered. This investigation may foster our understanding of the relationship between EDs and OCD through the examination of cognitive factors that are implicated in both disorders.