Anxiety and related disorders: thought-action fusion: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Psychiatry · Anxiety and related disorders: thought-action fusion

Sample item

A man with OCD believes that merely thinking of his mother dying makes it more likely to happen, and that having the thought is as bad as wishing her dead. He performs counting rituals to neutralise the thought. Which cognitive bias is described?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Thought-action fusion

Thought-action fusion is the belief that thoughts can influence events, or are morally equivalent to actions. It is a core cognitive feature of OCD, and treatment uses cognitive restructuring with exposure and response prevention.

Option by option

  • A. Emotional reasoning

    Emotional reasoning takes feelings as evidence of facts.

  • B. Dichotomous thinking

    Dichotomous thinking sees things in all-or-none categories.

  • C. Thought-action fusion (correct)

    Correct. Treating thoughts as equivalent to actions or as causal is thought-action fusion.

  • D. Mind reading

    Mind reading is assuming what others think without evidence.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is C, Thought-action fusion. Thought-action fusion is the belief that thoughts can influence events, or are morally equivalent to actions.

Why is "Emotional reasoning" not the answer?

Emotional reasoning takes feelings as evidence of facts.

Why is "Dichotomous thinking" not the answer?

Dichotomous thinking sees things in all-or-none categories.

Why is "Mind reading" not the answer?

Mind reading is assuming what others think without evidence.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Anxiety and related disorders: thought-action fusion in Psychiatry. It is a core cognitive feature of OCD, and treatment uses cognitive restructuring with exposure and response prevention.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Anxiety and related disorders: thought-action fusion?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.