Investigation the Mediatory Role of Inferential Confusion in Explaining the Relationship between Dissociative Experiences and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in Students at Shahed University, Iran, in 2017

Research has indicated the potential for dissociation amongst individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The Inference-Based Approach (IBA) offers one provoking line of enquiry in this context. This study aimed to determine the mediating role of the inferential confusion in the relationship between dissociative experiences and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. In this cross-sectional study, 212 students from Shahed University, Tehran, Iran, participated. The participants were selected using cluster random sampling method. Data were collected using the Obsessive- Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R), Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES-II), and Inferential Confusion Questionnaire (ICQ-EV). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation, hierarchical regression based on Baron and Kenny’s method, and Sobel test via SPSS software. Findings: There were significant relationships between dissociative experiences and obsessive-compulsive symptoms and inferential confusion (P < 0.010). Regression analysis demonstrated that inferential confusion mediated the relationship between dissociative experiences and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (β = 0.356, P < 0.001). Results of this study indicate the role of the inferential confusion in explaining the relationship between dissociative experiences and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. This finding can provide evidence to support the usefulness of IBA in treating those with OCD who have dissociative experiences.