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Scientific Reports Dec 2023Although mostly considered distinct, conspiracy mentality and paranoia share conceptual similarities (e.g., persecutory content, resistance to disconfirming evidence)....
Although mostly considered distinct, conspiracy mentality and paranoia share conceptual similarities (e.g., persecutory content, resistance to disconfirming evidence). Using self-report data from a large and multinational online sample (N = 2510; from the UK, the US, Hong Kong, Germany, and Australia), we examined whether paranoia and conspiracy mentality represent distinct latent constructs in exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Utilising network analysis, we then explored common and unique correlates of paranoia and conspiracy mentality while accounting for their shared variance. Across sites, paranoia and conspiracy mentality presented distinct, yet weakly correlated (r = 0.26), constructs. Both were associated with past traumatic experiences, holding negative beliefs about the self and other people, sleep problems, and a tendency to worry. However, paranoia was related to increased negative affect (i.e., anxiety) and decreased social support, whereas the opposite pattern was observed for conspiracy mentality (i.e., decreased anxiety and depression, increased social support). Paranoia and conspiracy mentality are related but not the same constructs. Their similar and distinct correlates point to common and unique risk factors and underlying mechanisms.
Topics: Humans; Paranoid Disorders; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Self Report; Interpersonal Relations
PubMed: 38123615
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47923-x -
Schizophrenia Research. Cognition Sep 2022Paranoid ideation is a core feature of psychosis and is associated with impaired social functioning. Severity of paranoia can fluctuate across time as symptoms wax and...
BACKGROUND
Paranoid ideation is a core feature of psychosis and is associated with impaired social functioning. Severity of paranoia can fluctuate across time as symptoms wax and wane; however, no study has systematically investigated how this intra-individual variability in paranoia may relate to social impairments and social functioning.
METHODS
Fifty-five patients with DSM-5 diagnoses and recent paranoia were followed for up to one year and completed the suspiciousness/persecution section (P6) of the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) on a monthly basis to monitor fluctuations in paranoia. Categorical changes between paranoid and non-paranoid status were monitored and tallied. Participants self-reported current paranoia and anxiety levels as well as social functioning when demonstrating paranoia changes.
RESULTS
Most patients showed changes between paranoid categories (60%). Individuals with no paranoia change showed higher current paranoia and lower independence-competence subscores of the Birchwood Social Functioning Scale (SFS) compared with those with one change. Current paranoia and state anxiety explained significant variance in the prosocial activities subscore of SFS, and importantly, paranoia changes accounted for variance above and beyond these effects. Individuals with higher current paranoia participated less in prosocial activities, however those with higher paranoia variability were more involved in social activities. Similarly, individuals with more paranoia variability demonstrated better overall social functioning as measured by the averaged SFS total score.
CONCLUSION
Paranoia fluctuation is prevalent across time, and both paranoia severity and variability impact social functioning, in that lower levels of paranoia severity and higher levels of paranoia variability are associated with better interpersonal functioning.
PubMed: 35620385
DOI: 10.1016/j.scog.2022.100258 -
Schizophrenia Research Mar 2022Paranoia is associated with significant distress and is associated with childhood trauma. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for this association is important for...
Paranoia is associated with significant distress and is associated with childhood trauma. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for this association is important for informing psychological interventions. Theoretical proposals suggest that negative schema and insecure attachment may be important mechanisms in the development of paranoia. Disorganised attachment may be particularly relevant. The current study is the first to examine whether the relationship between childhood interpersonal trauma and paranoia is mediated by disorganised attachment, and the impact of disorganised attachment on negative self and negative other schema. A large online sample of 242 people with self-reported psychosis completed measures of childhood trauma, attachment, self and other schema, paranoia and psychosis symptomatology. Path analysis indicated that childhood interpersonal trauma was associated with disorganised attachment, which in turn was associated with negative self-schema, negative other schema, and paranoia. Negative schema about others, but not self, was associated with paranoia. Disorganised attachment and negative other schema fully mediated the relationship between trauma and paranoia. Negative other schema partially mediated the association between disorganised attachment and paranoia. Results were found when controlling for depression, hallucinations and age. Results suggest that interventions that aim to modify disorganised attachment patterns and negative schema about others can potentially alleviate the impact of trauma on paranoia. Findings provide justification for longitudinal studies to confirm the direction of effects, and intervention studies that aim to manipulate disorganised attachment and negative schema about others and observe the impact of this on paranoia.
Topics: Adverse Childhood Experiences; Hallucinations; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Paranoid Disorders; Psychotic Disorders
PubMed: 35123337
DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2022.01.043 -
Scientific Reports Oct 2019Recent studies have shown that worry and related negative metacognitions are characteristic in generalized anxiety and paranoia respectively. However, most of these...
Recent studies have shown that worry and related negative metacognitions are characteristic in generalized anxiety and paranoia respectively. However, most of these studies did not take into account common co-occurrence of anxiety and paranoia, and longitudinal modelling of the role of worry and metacognitions on the development of anxiety and paranoia is rare. The current study aimed at examining the bidirectional longitudinal relationship between anxiety and paranoia, as well as the importance of worry and metacognitions in the development of these symptoms. Our validated sample consisted of 2291 participants recruited from universities, among whom 1746 participants (76.21%) completed online questionnaires at baseline and at one year, reporting levels of anxiety, paranoia, worry, and negative metacognitions. Structural equation modeling analyses, followed by path comparisons, revealed that anxiety and paranoia mutually reinforced each other over time. Negative metacognitions, rather than worry itself, were contributive to the development of both symptoms over time. Negative metacognitions showed bi-directional relationships with anxiety over the time period assessed and showed uni-directional relationships with paranoia. Clinical implications of our findings are discussed.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Affective Symptoms; Anxiety; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Metacognition; Paranoid Disorders; Psychological Distress; Students; Surveys and Questionnaires; Universities; Young Adult
PubMed: 31605005
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51280-z -
Journal of Abnormal Psychology Feb 2021Paranoia is the exaggerated belief that harm will occur and is intended by others. Although commonly framed in terms of attributing malicious intent to others, recent...
Paranoia is the exaggerated belief that harm will occur and is intended by others. Although commonly framed in terms of attributing malicious intent to others, recent work has explored how paranoia also affects social decision-making, using economic games. Previous work found that paranoia is associated with decreased cooperation and increased punishment in the Dictator Game (where cooperating and punishing involve paying a cost to respectively increase or decrease a partner's income). These findings suggest that paranoia might be associated with variation in subjective reward from positive and/or negative social decision-making, a possibility we explore using a preregistered experiment with U.S.-based participants (n = 2,004). Paranoia was associated with increased self-reported enjoyment of negative social interactions and decreased self-reported enjoyment of prosocial interactions. More paranoid participants attributed stronger harmful intent to a partner. Harmful intent attributions and the enjoyment of negative social interactions positively predicted the tendency to pay to punish the partner. Cooperation was positively associated with the tendency to enjoy prosocial interactions and increased with participant age. There was no main effect of paranoia on tendency to cooperate in this setting. We discuss these findings in light of previous research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Humans; Intention; Male; Middle Aged; Paranoid Disorders; Punishment; Reward; Social Interaction; Social Perception; United States; Young Adult
PubMed: 33271038
DOI: 10.1037/abn0000647 -
British Medical Journal (Clinical... Jan 1981
Topics: Emigration and Immigration; Humans; Paranoid Disorders; United Kingdom
PubMed: 6779965
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.282.6259.226-a -
European Archives of Psychiatry and... Feb 2022Social isolation has been suggested to foster paranoia. Here we investigate whether social company (i.e., being alone vs. not) and its nature (i.e., stranger/distant vs....
Social isolation has been suggested to foster paranoia. Here we investigate whether social company (i.e., being alone vs. not) and its nature (i.e., stranger/distant vs. familiar other) affects paranoia differently depending on psychosis risk. Social interactions and paranoid thinking in daily life were investigated in 29 patients with clinically stable non-affective psychotic disorders, 20 first-degree relatives, and 26 controls (n = 75), using the experience sampling method (ESM). ESM was completed up to ten times daily for 1 week. Patients experienced marginally greater paranoia than relatives [b = 0.47, p = 0.08, 95% CI (- 0.06, 1.0)] and significantly greater paranoia than controls [b = 0.55, p = 0.03, 95% CI (0.5, 1.0)], but controls and relatives did not differ [b = 0.07, p = 0.78, 95% CI (- 0.47, 0.61)]. Patients were more often alone [68.5% vs. 44.8% and 56.2%, respectively, p = 0.057] and experienced greater paranoia when alone than when in company [b = 0.11, p = 0.016, 95% CI (0.02, 0.19)]. In relatives this was reversed [b = - 0.17, p < 0.001, 95% CI (- 0.28, - 0.07)] and in controls non-significant [b = - 0.02, p = 0.67, 95% CI (- 0.09, 0.06)]. The time-lagged association between being in social company and subsequent paranoia was non-significant and paranoia did not predict the likelihood of being in social company over time (both p's = 0.68). All groups experienced greater paranoia in company of strangers/distant others than familiar others [X(2) = 4.56, p = 0.03] and being with familiar others was associated with lower paranoia over time [X(2) = 4.9, p = 0.03]. Patients are frequently alone. Importantly, social company appears to limit their paranoia, particularly when being with familiar people. The findings stress the importance of interventions that foster social engagement and ties with family and friends.
Topics: Humans; Paranoid Disorders; Psychotic Disorders; Social Interaction; Social Isolation
PubMed: 34129115
DOI: 10.1007/s00406-021-01278-4 -
Lancet (London, England) May 2014Schizophrenia remains a major burden on patients and society. The dopamine hypothesis attempts to explain the pathogenic mechanisms of the disorder, and the... (Review)
Review
Schizophrenia remains a major burden on patients and society. The dopamine hypothesis attempts to explain the pathogenic mechanisms of the disorder, and the neurodevelopmental hypothesis the origins. In the past 10 years an alternative, the cognitive model, has gained popularity. However, the first two theories have not been satisfactorily integrated, and the most influential iteration of the cognitive model makes no mention of dopamine, neurodevelopment, or indeed the brain. In this Review we show that developmental alterations secondary to variant genes, early hazards to the brain, and childhood adversity sensitise the dopamine system, and result in excessive presynaptic dopamine synthesis and release. Social adversity biases the cognitive schema that the individual uses to interpret experiences towards paranoid interpretations. Subsequent stress results in dysregulated dopamine release, causing the misattribution of salience to stimuli, which are then misinterpreted by the biased cognitive processes. The resulting paranoia and hallucinations in turn cause further stress, and eventually repeated dopamine dysregulation hardwires the psychotic beliefs. Finally, we consider the implications of this model for understanding and treatment of schizophrenia.
Topics: Brain; Cognition; Dopamine; Hallucinations; Humans; Paranoid Disorders; Schizophrenia; Social Environment
PubMed: 24315522
DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62036-X -
Biological Psychiatry. Cognitive... Nov 2022
Topics: Humans; Paranoid Disorders; Uncertainty; Emotions; Self Concept
PubMed: 36344038
DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2022.09.011 -
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica Dec 2018An evidence-base is emerging indicating detrimental and beneficial effects of social media. Little is known about the impact of social media use on people who experience...
OBJECTIVE
An evidence-base is emerging indicating detrimental and beneficial effects of social media. Little is known about the impact of social media use on people who experience psychosis.
METHOD
Forty-four participants with and without psychosis completed 1084 assessments of social media use, perceived social rank, mood, self-esteem and paranoia over a 6-day period using an experience sampling method (ESM).
RESULTS
Social media use predicted low mood, but did not predict self-esteem and paranoia. Posting about feelings and venting on social media predicted low mood and self-esteem and high paranoia, whilst posting about daily activities predicted increases in positive affect and self-esteem and viewing social media newsfeeds predicted reductions in negative affect and paranoia. Perceptions of low social rank when using social media predicted low mood and self-esteem and high paranoia. The impact of social media use did not differ between participants with and without psychosis; although, experiencing psychosis moderated the relationship between venting and negative affect. Social media use frequency was lower in people with psychosis.
CONCLUSION
Findings show the potential detrimental impact of social media use for people with and without psychosis. Despite few between-group differences, overall negative psychological consequences highlight the need to consider use in clinical practice.
Topics: Adult; Affect; Ecological Momentary Assessment; Female; Hierarchy, Social; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Paranoid Disorders; Psychotic Disorders; Schizophrenia; Self Concept; Social Behavior; Social Media; Young Adult
PubMed: 30203454
DOI: 10.1111/acps.12953