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Open Access 01-12-2020 | Schizophrenia | Research article

Problems in measuring the JTC-bias in patients with psychotic disorders with the fish task: a secondary analysis of a baseline assessment of a randomized controlled trial

Authors: Nico Pytlik, Daniel Soll, Klaus Hesse, Steffen Moritz, Andreas Bechdolf, Jutta Herrlich, Tilo Kircher, Stefan Klingberg, Martin W. Landsberg, Bernhard W. Müller, Georg Wiedemann, Andreas Wittorf, Wolfgang Wölwer, Michael Wagner, Stephanie Mehl

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2020

Abstract

Background

The jumping to conclusions bias (JTC) is considered to be an important causal factor in theoretical models for the formation and maintenance of delusions. However, recent meta-analytic findings show a rather equivocal pattern of results regarding associations between JTC and delusions. Thus, the present study aims to investigate in a large sample whether the JTC-bias is more pronounced in patients with psychotic disorders in comparison to controls and whether the JTC bias is associated with a more severe delusional conviction, persecutory delusions, and positive symptoms in general.

Methods

Patients with psychotic disorders (n = 300) enrolled in a therapy trial and healthy controls (n = 51) conducted a variant of the beads task (fish task) as a measure for the JTC-bias at the start of the trial. Further, clinical interviews were used to assess patients’ delusional severity and delusional conviction.

Results

There were no statistically significant differences between patients with psychotic disorders (with 53% displaying the JTC-bias) and controls (41%). Furthermore, there were no statistically significant correlations between JTC measures and persecutory delusions, delusional conviction, and positive symptoms.

Conclusions

We found no differences in JTC between patients with psychotic disorders and healthy controls, which is in part in line with meta-analytic findings using a wide range of JTC task variants. Interestingly, patients with psychotic disorders displayed JTC rates commonly found in the literature, while healthy control subjects showed an unexpectedly high level of JTC. The task variant we used in the present study (fish task) is discussed as a potential reason for our results, as it may induce a more deliberative reasoning style in controls as compared to the traditional beads task. Furthermore, possible implications for the measurement of the JTC-bias, in general, are discussed.

Trial Registration

ISRCTN29242879 (isrctn.com), date of registration: April 12th 2006, retrospectively registered.

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Title: Problems in measuring the JTC-bias in patients with psychotic disorders with the fish task: a secondary analysis of a baseline assessment of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Nico Pytlik
Daniel Soll
Klaus Hesse
Steffen Moritz
Andreas Bechdolf
Jutta Herrlich
Tilo Kircher
Stefan Klingberg
Martin W. Landsberg
Bernhard W. Müller
Georg Wiedemann
Andreas Wittorf
Wolfgang Wölwer
Michael Wagner
Stephanie Mehl
Publication date: 01-12-2020
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keyword: Schizophrenia
Published in: BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02959-5

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Problems in measuring the JTC-bias in patients with psychotic disorders with the fish task: a secondary analysis of a baseline assessment of a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Trial Registration

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Trial Registration

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