Relationship Between Cognitive Distortions and Psychological and Behavioral Factors in a Family Medicine Outpatient Sample

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the frequency of cognitive distortions, as measured by the Inventory of Cognitive Distortions (ICD), and psychological and behavioral factors, as measured by the Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic (MBMD), which includes negative health habits, psychiatric indications, coping styles, stress moderators, treatment prognostics, and management guide. The sample was selected from a heterogeneous adult family practice outpatient population. Participants meeting inclusion criteria presented for medical treatment or routine physical examinations. Results supported the reliability and validity of the lCD as an instrument measuring cognitive distortions. Cronbach\u27s Alpha for the Total ICD scale was .97, indicating excellent internal consistency and homogeneity of item content. The ICD proved to be an excellent measure for uncovering relationships between distorted thinking and psychological and behavioral health risks as measured by the MBMD. Of the 34 hypotheses in this study, 29 hypotheses demonstrated significant positive findings. Suggestions for future research and implication of the work are discussed