The association between social phobia, social anxiety cognitions and paranoid symptoms

Mapping connections between complex post-traumatic stress disorder and psychotic-like experiences among adolescents: a Gaussian and Bayesian network study

BACKGROUND

Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD) is a newly recognized condition characterized by core PTSD symptoms and disturbances in self-organization (DSO) that has been associated with psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). This study employs two psychopathology network approaches to identify which post-traumatic symptoms are related to PLEs in a sample of late adolescents. We propose that cPTSD symptoms play a crucial role in explaining the co-occurrence of trauma and PLEs.

METHODS

A sample of 1010 late adolescents provided measures of post-traumatic symptomatology and PLEs. We estimated the Gaussian graphical network structure of PTSD/cPTSD symptoms and PLEs and assessed their bridge centrality indices. Bayesian network analysis was then used to estimate a directed acyclic graph (DAG). Gender was set as a moderator in both Gaussian and Bayesian models.

RESULTS

Results show that affect dysregulation, a cPTSD domain, presented the highest bridge connection with the PLE cluster. Bayesian network analysis identified a pathway going from cPTSD items of worthlessness and relational dysregulation, to PLE items of paranoia and social anxiety. Additionally, we found relevant gender differences in network connectivity, with females showing higher connectivity compared to males.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings highlight the central role of affect dysregulation and negative self-concept in linking cPTSD to PLE symptoms, with specific differences according to gender. These insights underscore the need for targeted, gender-sensitive approaches in the prevention and treatment of PLEs among adolescents, emphasizing early intervention and tailored treatment strategies.

Voices of the Past: A Case Report on the Interaction Between Childhood Trauma, Social Phobia, and Psychotic Symptoms in a Transgender Male

This case report explores the interplay between childhood trauma, social phobia, psychotic symptoms, and minority stress in a 27-year-old transgender male. L presented with psychotic symptoms, including auditory verbal hallucinations and self-referential phenomena, which were accompanied by a history of childhood sexual and emotional abuse, as well as social phobia. These challenges were further compounded by experiences of stigma, rejection, and stress related to his gender identity. We explore how affective dysregulation and maladaptive cognitive patterns, potentially shaped by past trauma, might influence psychotic symptoms, particularly in the form of auditory verbal hallucinations that are sensitive to social contexts. Addressing underlying trauma-related beliefs and anxiety can help mitigate psychotic symptoms, improve social functioning, and enhance treatment outcomes, offering an integrated pathway for recovery.

Application of a virtual reality-based cognitive-behavioural therapy of social phobia in the treatment of inpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia and social anxiety - a feasibility study

The co-occurrence of social anxiety symptoms and schizophrenia is a significant clinical problem. So far, social anxiety symptoms have been treated as an integral symptom of schizophrenia, receiving little attention as a target of direct therapeutic interventions. However, some evidence indicates that a high level of social anxiety in this group of patients may be a barrier to the recovery process. This feasibility study evaluated the use of a standard protocol for cognitive-behavioural therapy in the treatment of social phobia, in which social exposure was implemented with the usage of virtual reality (CBT + VRET). The study was conducted in a group of inpatients in a clinical psychiatric unit. Twenty inpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia and comorbid social anxiety symptoms were examined. Eleven patients were assigned to 10 weekly individual CBT+VRET interventions and nine to the control condition. Baseline and post-treatment assessments of social anxiety, psychotic symptoms, stigma, self-esteem, and depressive symptoms were measured before and after intervention. There was a decrease in social anxiety in the CBT+VRET group, while no such decrease was noted in the control group. This study provides preliminary evidence that CBT+VRET is acceptable, safe, and initial data that bears on the question of effectiveness for treating social anxiety disorder in people with schizophrenia. Future research should investigate the efficacy of CBT+VRET for the treatment of social anxiety symptoms and co-morbid schizophrenia in a larger randomised controlled trial.

Epidemiology of social phobia in Andalusia

INTRODUCTION

Population studies on social anxiety disorder (SAD) are relatively scarce and there is no previous reported evidence on prevalence or correlates of SAD in an Andalusian general population sample.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We used a random representative sample previously identified via standard stratification procedures. Thus, a final sample of 4507 participants were included (response rate 83.7%). Interviewees were thoroughly assessed on sociodemographic, clinical and psychosocial factors, including: exposures to threatening life events (TLEs), childhood abuse, personality disorder and traits (neuroticism, impulsivity, paranoia), global functioning, physical health and toxics consumption. SAD diagnosis was ascertained using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Both, pooled prevalences (with 95% confidence intervals) and risk correlates for SAD were estimated using binary logistic regression.

RESULTS

Estimated prevalence for SAD was 1.1% (95% CI=0.8-1.4). Having a SAD diagnosis was independently and significantly associated with younger age, poorer global functioning, higher neuroticism and paranoia personality traits, having suffered childhood abuse and exposure to previous TLEs. Furthermore, SAD was significantly associated with comorbid personality disorder, major depression, panic disorder and alcohol abuse.

CONCLUSIONS

Among this large Andalusian population sample, the prevalence of SAD and its associated factors are relatively similar to previously reported international studies, although no population study had previously reported such a strong association with paranoia.

The role of loneliness and negative schemas in the moment-to-moment dynamics between social anxiety and paranoia

Social anxiety and paranoia often co-occur and exacerbate each other. While loneliness and negative schemas contribute to the development of social anxiety and paranoia separately, their role in the development of the two symptoms co-occurring is rarely considered longitudinally. This study examined the moment-to-moment relationship between social anxiety and paranoia, as well as the effects of loneliness and negative schemas on both experiences individually and coincidingly. A total of 134 non-clinical young adults completed experience sampling assessments of momentary social anxiety, paranoia, and loneliness ten times per day for six consecutive days. Participants' negative-self and -other schemas were assessed with the Brief Core Schema Scale. Dynamic structural equation modelling revealed a bidirectional relationship between social anxiety and paranoia across moments. Loneliness preceded increases in both symptoms in the next moment. Higher negative-self schema was associated with a stronger link from paranoia to social anxiety; whereas higher negative-other schema was associated with a stronger link from social anxiety to paranoia. Our findings support the reciprocal relationship between social anxiety and paranoia. While loneliness contributes to the development of social anxiety and paranoia, negative self and other schemas appear to modify the relationships between the two symptoms.

Cognitive and behavioural processes in adolescents with social anxiety disorder

BACKGROUND

A better understanding of the processes that maintain social anxiety disorder (SAD) in adolescents could improve treatment outcomes. This study aimed to establish whether cognitive and behavioural processes known to be important in the maintenance of adult SAD are observed in adolescent populations and whether they are specific to SAD.

METHODS

We recruited three groups of adolescents (12-18y): (1) 90 adolescents with a SAD diagnosis, (2) 58 adolescents with an anxiety disorder that was not SAD, and (3) 45 community-based adolescents. Participants completed measures of negative social cognitions, social attitudes, safety behaviours, self-focused attention, and social anxiety, anxiety, and depression symptoms.

RESULTS

The clinical SAD sample endorsed higher levels of negative social cognitions, attitudes, and safety behaviours compared to both control groups. Self-focused attention was higher in the clinical SAD sample compared to the anxiety clinical control group but not compared to the community control group.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provided evidence of SAD-specific mechanisms including negative social cognitions, attitudes and safety behaviours in adolescents. The study did not provide evidence of disorder-specific mechanisms of self-focused attention but this may have been due to methodological limitations. These findings indicate avenues for further research and point to the potential value of Cognitive Therapy for the treatment of adolescent SAD.

Longitudinal follow-up of subsequent psychiatric comorbidities among children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder

BACKGROUND

The mental health of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a concern of recent years. However, a large-scale longitudinal study investigating the risk and the time course of subsequent psychiatric comorbidities is still lacking.

METHODS

Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, 13,382 children and adolescents with ASD, and 53,528 age- and sex-matched non-ASD controls were enrolled between 2001 and 2009, and followed to the end of 2011. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) with a corresponding 95 % confidence interval for psychiatric comorbidities among children and adolescents with ASD vs matched controls was estimated. The subjects who developed schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) were identified during the follow-up.

RESULTS

Children and adolescents with ASD compared with controls were more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia (19.21; 13.74, 26.88), bipolar disorder (17.59; 12.66, 24.44), depressive disorder (5.56; 4.72, 6.56), anxiety disorder (5.01; 4.49, 5.59), and OCD (16.12; 11.66, 22.30) later in life. The time course of subsequent psychiatric comorbidity showed that anxiety disorder occurred first, usually in late childhood, with psychotic and affective disorders proceeding in adolescence. Those with ASD and anxiety disorder had an additionally increased likelihood of developing subsequent psychiatric comorbidity compared with those with ASD only.

LIMITATION

In claims data analysis, clinical parameters or possible confounders may not be fully captured.

CONCLUSION

Patients with ASD are predisposed to the development of anxiety disorder in late childhood, as well as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depressive disorder, and OCD in adolescence.

In the moment social experiences and perceptions of children with social anxiety disorder: A qualitative study

OBJECTIVES

Childhood social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a common and disabling condition. General forms of cognitive behavioural treatments have demonstrated poorer efficacy for childhood SAD when compared to other childhood anxiety disorders and further understanding of the psychological factors that contribute to the maintenance of childhood SAD is warranted. Examining the social experiences of children with SAD may help to identify relevant psychological factors and increase our understanding of what keeps childhood SAD going.

METHODS

The current study used reflexive thematic analysis to analyse the transcripts of interviews with 12 children aged 8-12 years with SAD who had been interviewed about their 'in the moment' social experiences during a social stress induction task. The interview topic guide included factors hypothesized to maintain SAD in adult cognitive models of the disorder.

RESULTS

The interviews revealed both variety and commonalities in the experiences and interpretations of social events in children with SAD, captured in three related main themes: (i) Discomfort being the centre of attention, (ii) (Lack of) awareness of cognitions and (iii) Managing social fears. Findings indicated likely developmental influences on which maintenance mechanisms apply at which point in time.

CONCLUSIONS

There is variation in the psychological mechanisms that children with SAD endorse and developmental factors are likely to influence when specific mechanisms are relevant. We now need further studies that take a developmentally informed approach to understand the nature of the association between the factors identified in this study and social anxiety in childhood to inform the development of more effective interventions for childhood SAD.

Prediction model of interaction anxiousness based on Weibo data

Adolescents who face social distress in real life are often accompanied by interaction anxiousness. To avoid direct social activities, they prefer to indulge in social networks to satisfy their psychological needs for interpersonal communication. Sina Weibo, China's leading social media platform, has a markedly young user base. It provides a rich sample of adolescents with interaction anxiousness and conditions for real-time monitoring. In this study, various word categories, such as perception of spatial distance and positional relationships, morality, and emotion, showed a significant relationship with interaction anxiousness. Furthermore, prediction models were established based on the original Weibo data of 839 active Sina Weibo users through a variety of machine learning algorithms to predict the scores of users' interaction anxiousness. The results showed that the performance of the prediction model established by the fully connected neural network was the best, and both criterion validity and split-half reliability were good (r _{criterionvalidity} = 0.30, r _{split - halfreliability} = 0.76). This study confirms the validity of the prediction model of interaction anxiousness based on social media behavior data, provides a feasible solution to examine adolescents' interaction anxiousness, and provides a scientific basis for more targeted mental health interventions.

'Thinking about Them is only making me feel worse'. The mediating role of metacognitive factors in the relationship between paranoia-like beliefs and psychopathology symptoms in a community sample

INTRODUCTION

Paranoia in community samples is associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety symptoms and suicidality. The metacognitive model assumes the role of metacognitive factors in these associations. Positive and negative metacognitive beliefs (PMB and NMB, respectively) and cognitive-attentional syndrome (CAS) are to mediate between paranoia-like beliefs and psychopathology symptoms. The current study is an attempt to test this prediction.

METHODS

A cross-sectional community study with n = 840 participants. We used R-GPTS's persecutory subscale to measure paranoia-like beliefs, CAS-1 for CAS and metacognitive beliefs and SCL-27-plus for psychopathology symptoms.

RESULTS

Indirect effects of PMB, CAS and NMB accounted for 22% to 56% (CI 95%) of total effects of relationships between paranoia-like beliefs and vegetative symptoms, symptoms of social phobia, agoraphobia, depression and suicidality screening.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated that PMB, CAS and NMB mediate between paranoia-like beliefs and various psychopathological symptoms, as predicted by the metacognitive model of psychopathology. We also uncovered other indirect effects, including negative mediation effect of PMB on the relationship between paranoia-like beliefs and depressive symptoms and suicidality.

The co-occurrence of multidimensional loneliness with depression, social anxiety and paranoia in non-clinical young adults: A latent profile analysis

INTRODUCTION

Loneliness is a negative experience arising from a mismatch between perceived and actual social relationships. Several dimensions of loneliness have been suggested, namely intimate, relational and collective loneliness. Loneliness has been linked to poorer mental health, with its co-occurrence with depression, social anxiety, and paranoia most widely reported. While expressions of these symptoms are heterogeneous across individuals in the non-clinical population, it remains unclear how these symptoms co-occur with one another and with various dimensions of loneliness. It is also of interest how trait factors such as core schemas about self/others may moderate these relationships between loneliness and co-occurring symptoms.

METHODS

A demographically diverse sample of young adults was recruited from multiple sources. The validated sample consisted of 2,089 participants (68.4% female), who completed an online survey consisting of questionnaires assessing levels of multidimensional loneliness, depression, social anxiety, paranoia, core schemas, and demographic characteristics. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify distinct profiles of loneliness and the three symptoms. Positive and negative core schemas about self and others were modeled as predictors of these profiles.

RESULTS

Five distinct profiles were identified. Profile 1 had low levels across all symptoms and dimensions of loneliness (n = 1,273, 60.9%). Profiles 2-5 were elevated on dimensions of loneliness, and were heightened in depression (n = 189, 9.0%), social anxiety (n = 206, 9.9%), paranoia (n = 198, 9.5%), and all symptoms (n = 223, 10.7%), respectively. Relative to Profile 1, the other four profiles scored higher on negative-self (adjusted ORs = 1.36-1.49, ps < 0.001) and negative-other schemas (adjusted ORs = 1.24-1.44, ps < 0.001), and lower on positive-self (adjusted ORs = 0.82-0.85, ps < 0.001) and positive-other schemas (adjusted ORs = 0.81-0.90, ps < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

More marked intimate, relational and collective loneliness were evident across profiles that had heightened depression, social anxiety and/or paranoia, suggesting that loneliness may serve as a general risk factor for these psychopathologies. Our findings shed light on the heterogeneity of the co-occurrence of loneliness and various mental health difficulties in non-clinical young adults. Core schemas are suggested to be putative psychological mechanisms underlying their co-occurrence and even development.

Barriers and facilitators to targeted anxiety prevention programmes in families at risk: a qualitative interview study

Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric disorder in children and young people. They can be prevented in those at risk, but families do not always take up opportunities to participate in prevention programmes. This qualitative study aimed to understand what families with children who were at prospective risk of anxiety disorders perceived to be the barriers to access to targeted anxiety prevention programmes, and to explore what would help facilitate access. We used Information Power to determine our sample size, and individually interviewed seven young people (14-17 years) who had anxiety disorders and their mothers, each of whom had pre-natal anxiety disorders. We transcribed all interviews and thematically analyzed them to identify perceived barriers and facilitators to targeted anxiety prevention programmes. Perceived potential barriers to access included possible negative consequences of anxiety prevention, difficulties in identifying anxiety as a problem and concerns about how professions would respond to raising concerns about anxiety. Possible facilitators included promoting awareness of anxiety prevention programmes and involvement of schools in promotion and delivery of prevention. Our findings illustrate that implementation of targeted anxiety prevention could be improved through (i) the provision of tools for parents to recognize anxiety in their children as a problem, (ii) promotion of awareness, as well as delivery, of anxiety prevention via schools and (iii) the involvement of parents and possibly adolescents in the intervention programme, but not younger children.

Supporting the parents of children and young people with anxiety and depressive disorders is an opportunity not to be missed: a scoping review

Guidance is scarce on whether and how to involve parents in treatment for anxiety and depressive disorders in children and young people. We did a scoping review of randomised controlled trials of psychological interventions for anxiety and depressive disorders in children and young people, in which parents were involved in treatment, to identify how parents and carers have been involved in such treatments, how this relates to both child and broader outcomes, and where research should focus. We identified 73 trials: 62 focused on anxiety and 11 on depressive disorders. How parents were involved in treatments varied greatly, with at least 13 different combinations of ways of involving parents in the anxiety trials and seven different combinations in the depression trials. Including parents in treatment did not impair children's and young people's outcomes, but the wide variability in how they were involved prevents clarity about why some trials favoured parent involvement and others did not. Studies must consider the long-term and wider benefits beyond children's and young people's mental health, such as enhanced engagement, family wellbeing, and economic gains.

A systematic review of neuroimaging and acute cannabis exposure in age-of-risk for psychosis

Acute exposure to cannabis has been associated with an array of cognitive alterations, increased risk for neuropsychiatric illness, and other neuropsychiatric sequelae including the emergence of acute psychotic symptoms. However, the brain alterations associating cannabis use and these behavioral and clinical phenotypes remains disputed. To this end, neuroimaging can be a powerful technique to non-invasively study the impact of cannabis exposure on brain structure and function in both humans and animal models. While chronic exposure studies provide insight into how use may be related to long-term outcomes, acute exposure may reveal interesting information regarding the immediate impact of use and abuse on brain circuits. Understanding these alterations could reveal the connection with symptom dimensions in neuropsychiatric disorders and, more specifically with psychosis. The purpose of the present review is to: 1) provide an update on the findings of pharmacological neuroimaging studies examining the effects of administered cannabinoids and 2) focus the discussion on studies that examine the sensitive window for the emergence of psychosis. Current literature indicates that cannabis exposure has varied effects on the brain, with the principal compounds in cannabis (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol) altering activity across different brain regions. Importantly, we also discovered critical gaps in the literature, particularly regarding sex-dependent responses and long-term effects of chronic exposure. Certain networks often characterized as dysregulated in psychosis, like the default mode network and limbic system, were also impacted by THC exposure, identifying areas of particular interest for future work investigating the potential relationship between the two.

Candidate Factors Maintaining Social Anxiety in the Context of Psychotic Experiences: A Systematic Review

Social anxiety is common in psychosis and associated with impaired functioning, poorer quality of life, and higher symptom severity. This study systematically reviewed factors maintaining social anxiety in people with attenuated, transient, or persistent psychotic experiences. Other correlates of social anxiety were also examined. MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, and PsycINFO were searched for relevant literature up to October 19, 2020. Forty-eight articles were eligible for narrative synthesis: 38 cross-sectional studies, 8 prospective studies, 1 uncontrolled trial, and 1 qualitative study. From 12060 participants, the majority was general population (n = 8771), followed by psychosis samples (n = 2532) and those at high risk of psychosis (n = 757). The methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Ninety percent of studies were rated as high to very-high quality. Poorer quality studies typically failed to adequately control for confounds and provided insufficient information on the measurement validity and reliability. Prominent psychological factors maintaining social anxiety included self-perceptions of stigma and shame. Common correlates of social anxiety included poorer functioning and lower quality of life. In conclusion, stigma and shame could be targeted as a causal mechanism in future interventional studies. The integration of findings from this review lead us to propose a new theoretical model to guide future intervention research.

Cognitive therapy compared with CBT for social anxiety disorder in adolescents: a feasibility study

BACKGROUND

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is common, typically starts in adolescence and has a low natural recovery rate. Existing psychological treatments for adolescent SAD are only moderately effective. It is possible that recovery rates for adolescents could be substantially improved by adapting a psychological therapy that is highly effective among adults with SAD.

OBJECTIVES

To train child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) therapists to deliver cognitive therapy for SAD in adolescents (CT-SAD-A) and assess therapist competence. To estimate the costs to the NHS of training therapists to deliver CT-SAD-A and the mean cost per adolescent treated. To examine the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to compare CT-SAD-A with the general form of cognitive-behavioural therapy that is more commonly used.

DESIGN

During the training phase of the study, it became clear that the RCT would not be feasible because of high staff turnover and unfilled posts within CAMHS and changes in the nature of referrals, which meant that few young people with primary SAD were accessing some of the participating services. The study design was altered to comprise the following: a training case series of CT-SAD-A delivered in routine CAMHS, an estimate of the cost to the NHS of training therapists to deliver CT-SAD-A and of the mean cost per adolescent treated, and qualitative interviews with participating young people, parents, therapists and service managers/leads.

SETTING

Five CAMHS teams within Berkshire Healthcare and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trusts.

PARTICIPANTS

Eight therapists received training in CT-SAD-A. Twelve young people received CT-SAD-A, delivered by six therapists. Six young people, six parents, seven therapists and three managers participated in qualitative interviews.

INTERVENTIONS

Cognitive therapy for social anxiety disorder in adolescents (CT-SAD-A).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Measured outcomes included social anxiety symptoms and diagnostic status, comorbid symptoms of anxiety and depression, social and general functioning, concentration in class and treatment acceptability. Patient level utilisation of the intervention was collected using clinicians' logs.

RESULTS

Nine out of 12 participants achieved good outcomes across measures (r ≥ 0.60 across social anxiety measures). The estimated cost of delivering CT-SAD-A was £1861 (standard deviation £358) per person. Qualitative interviews indicated that the treatment was acceptable to young people, parents and therapists, but therapists and managers experienced challenges when implementing the training and treatment within the current CAMHS context.

LIMITATIONS

Findings were based on a small, homogeneous sample and there was no comparison arm.

CONCLUSIONS

CT-SAD-A is a promising treatment for young people with SAD, but the current CAMHS context presents challenges for its implementation.

FUTURE WORK

Further work is needed to ensure that CAMHS can incorporate and test CT-SAD-A. Alternatively, CT-SAD-A should be delivered and tested in other settings that are better configured to treat young people whose lives are held back by SAD. The new schools Mental Health Support Teams envisaged in the 2017 Children's Mental Health Green Paper may provide such an opportunity.

FUNDING

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme. Individual funding was also provided for Cathy Creswell, David M Clark and Eleanor Leigh as follows: NIHR Research Professorship (Cathy Creswell); Wellcome Senior Investigator Award (Anke Ehlers and David M Clark); and the Wellcome Clinical Research Training Fellowship (Eleanor Leigh).

Adherence to safety and self-isolation guidelines, conspiracy and paranoia-like beliefs during COVID-19 pandemic in Poland - associations and moderators

BACKGROUND

Due to coronavirus pandemic, governments have ordered a nationwide isolation. In this situation, we hypothesised that people holding conspiracy beliefs are less willing to adhere to medical guidelines. Furthermore, we explored what possible factors may modify relationships between conspiracy, paranoia-like beliefs, and adherence to epidemiological guidelines. Also, we examined the prevalence of different coronavirus conspiracy beliefs.

METHODS

Two independent internet studies. Study 1 used a proportional quota sample that was representative of the population of Poles in terms of gender and settlement size (n=507). Study 2 employed a convenience sample (n=840).

RESULTS

Coronavirus conspiracy beliefs are negatively related to safety guidelines. Mixed results suggest that paranoia-like beliefs are related negatively to safety guidelines. Prevalence of firmly held coronavirus conspiracy beliefs is rare. Nevertheless, certain percentage of participants agree with conspiracy beliefs at least partially. Coronavirus related anxiety, trust in media, and internal motivation to isolation moderate the relationship between conspiracy beliefs and adherence to safety guidelines. Paranoia-like beliefs partially mediate between boredom and conspiracy beliefs.

CONCLUSIONS

Conspiracy beliefs concerning coronavirus are present in the population and are negatively related to adherence to safety guidelines. Conspiracy beliefs originate partially from boredom and paranoia proneness. Certain factors - trust in media and internal motivation to isolation - are potentially worthwhile to address to enhance adherence to safety guidelines. Non-probabilistic sampling suggests caution in interpretation of the present findings.

The role of maternal anxiety disorder subtype, parenting and infant stable temperamental inhibition in child anxiety: a prospective longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) aggregates in families. To elucidate intergenerational transmission of risk, we examined whether childhood SAD and symptoms of anxiety were prospectively predicted by stable infant temperamental inhibition, maternal SAD, maternal generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and maternal parenting behaviours.

METHODS

We conducted a longitudinal study beginning prenatally with follow-up at 4, 10, 14 and 58 months postnatally. Mothers were assessed for anxiety disorders prenatally and assigned to one of three groups: SAD (n = 67), GAD (n = 56) and nonanxious controls (n = 94). We assessed infant temperamental inhibition at 4 and 14 months, maternal parenting behaviours at 10 and 58 months, and child anxiety disorders and symptoms at 58 months.

RESULTS

Child SAD at 58 months was predicted by prenatal maternal SAD (OR = 23.76, 95% CI = 1.15-60.37), but not by prenatal maternal GAD (OR = 7.44, 95% CI = 0.32-124.49), stable temperamental inhibition or maternal behaviours. Child anxiety symptoms at 58 months were predicted specifically by maternal SAD (but not GAD), and also by concurrent maternal intrusiveness. Stable temperamental inhibition moderated the association between 10-month maternal encouragement and 58-month child anxiety symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

We found evidence for specificity of risk for child SAD and anxiety symptoms from maternal SAD compared to maternal GAD. Childhood anxiety symptoms were also predicted by an interaction between a lack of maternal encouragement in infancy and stable temperamental inhibition, as well as concurrent maternal intrusiveness. The findings have clinical implications for targeted prevention of child anxiety.

Subscales of the Fear Survey Schedule-III in Community Dwelling Older Adults - Relations to Clinical and Cognitive Measures

Objectives: One major obstacle to the diagnosis and treatment of specific phobias in later life is the lack of assessment tools that are relevant to the fears of older adults. This study investigated the utility of five reliable subscales (Blood/Injury, Agoraphobia, Aggression, Animal/Insect, Social Fears) derived from the Fear Survey Schedule-III, a popular measure of phobic fear, in discriminating older from younger participants.Method: The sample was comprised of 81 younger and 61 older adults who completed self-report measures of anxiety and depression and neuropsychological tests.Results: Older adults scored significantly higher than their younger counterparts only on the Aggression subscale of the FSS-III; whereas younger adults scored significantly higher than the older group only on the Social Fears subscale. These subscales showed slightly different associations with other measures of anxiety, depression, and intelligence across age groups. Within the older sample, scores on the Aggression subscale were significantly higher than all other subscales except for Social Fears.Conclusions: It is recommended that clinicians and researchers use subscale scores derived from the FSS-III, rather than total scores, when treating and studying fears of later life.Clinical Implications: Use of FSS-III subscales in assessment could result in improved detection and treatment of phobias in later life, and thus raise quality of life among the elderly. Older adults' fears of victimization should be prioritized as a possible treatment target in clinical settings.

Specificity of Childhood Trauma Type and Attenuated Positive Symptoms in a Non-Clinical Sample

BACKGROUND

Childhood traumatic experiences have been consistently associated with psychosis risk; however, the specificity of childhood trauma type to interview-based attenuated positive psychotic symptoms has not been adequately explored. Further, previous studies examining specificity of trauma to specific positive symptoms have not accounted for co-occurring trauma types, despite evidence of multiple victimization.

METHODS

We examined the relationship between childhood trauma (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire) with type of attenuated positive symptom, as measured by the Structured Interview for Psychosis-risk Syndromes (SIPS) among a non-clinical, young adult sample (n = 130). Linear regressions were conducted to predict each attenuated positive symptom, with all trauma types entered into the model to control for co-occurring traumas.

RESULTS

Results indicated that childhood sexual abuse was significantly associated with disorganized communication and childhood emotional neglect was significantly associated with increased suspiciousness/persecutory ideas, above and beyond the effect of other co-occurring traumas. These relationships were significant even after removing individuals at clinical high-risk (CHR) for psychosis (n = 14).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that there are differential influences of trauma type on specific positive symptom domains, even in a non-clinical sample. Our results also confirm the importance of controlling for co-occurring trauma types, as results differ when not controlling for multiple traumas.

Childhood temperament is associated with distress, anxiety and reduced quality of life in schizophrenia spectrum disorders

Schizophrenia is conceptualized as a neurodevelopmental disorder and pre-morbid differences in social function and cognition have been well-established. Less is known about pre-morbid temperament and personality. Inhibited temperament-the predisposition to respond to novelty with wariness, fear, or caution-is a premorbid risk factor for anxiety, depression, and substance use but is understudied in schizophrenia. Participants were patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (n = 166) and healthy controls (n = 180). Patients completed measures of childhood inhibited temperament, clinical symptoms (anxiety, depression, PANSS factors), and quality of life. Patients had significantly higher levels of inhibited temperament relative to healthy controls. In patients with schizophrenia, higher inhibited temperament was significantly associated with co-morbid anxiety disorders, greater anxiety and depression symptoms, higher PANSS Distress scores, lower PANSS Excitement scores, and lower quality of life. The current findings replicate and extend previous research with a larger sample and are consistent with vulnerability in an affective path to psychosis. In schizophrenia, higher inhibited temperament was associated with a cluster of mood and anxiety symptoms. Inhibited temperament was not associated with psychosis symptoms. Patients with high inhibited temperament may especially benefit from treatments that specifically target anxiety and depression.

The simulation heuristic, paranoia, and social anxiety in a non-clinical sample

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Quality of reasoning within non-clinical paranoia and mental simulation of future paranoia themed events was investigated by use of a simulation task to determine whether paranoid individuals would be restricted or more adept at reasoning about paranoia relevant material in comparison to a social anxiety group and a group with low paranoia and social anxiety.

METHOD

Participants (N = 63) were divided into the three groups based on paranoia and social anxiety scores. They were presented with the beginning and end of an imaginary situation and were asked to describe, step-by-step, what they imagined would happen between those two points. They were also administered a beads task to evaluate the jumping to conclusion decision making bias.

RESULTS

The prediction of more adept reasoning was not supported for paranoia. However, the social anxiety comparison group on average better simulated a scenario with congruent (socially anxious) thematic content compared to ones with non-congruent content. Further, in an exploratory analysis, jumping to conclusions bias was found to be positively related to goodness of simulation for paranoia themed scenarios within the paranoia group.

LIMITATIONS

Study groups were relatively small and so power was an issue.

CONCLUSION

The results are discussed in the context of the sometimes paradoxical findings in the area of cognitive biases and paranoia.

Are children with social anxiety disorder more likely than children with other anxiety disorders to anticipate poor social performance and reflect negatively on their performance?

BACKGROUND

The cognitive theory of social anxiety disorder (SAD) suggests that adults with SAD have a tendency to anticipate poor social performance and reflect negatively on their performance following a social event. While a number of studies with socially anxious adults have supported the role of poor performance anticipation and post-event rumination in SAD, to date, only a few studies have addressed whether this also applies to children with SAD.

METHODS

Children (7-12 years) diagnosed with SAD (n = 40), other anxious children (n = 40) and non-anxious children (n = 34) were exposed to a social stressor speech task and their pre- and post-performance appraisals assessed, taking into account objective performance ratings.

RESULTS

Although observers rated some aspects of performance as significantly worse among children with SAD than children with other anxiety disorders, children with SAD were not more likely than their anxious or non-anxious peers to show a general bias in pre- or post-performance appraisals. Furthermore, children with SAD were just as likely as their anxious and non-anxious peers to recognize good performance but were more critical of themselves when their performance was poor.

LIMITATIONS

The speech task did not involve a same-age peer. Participants were relatively affluent group of predominantly non-minority status. Specificity for SAD in relation to other anxiety disorders remains unclear.

CONCLUSIONS

Focusing on counteracting pre- and post-event social performance appraisals may potentially be inappropriate for childhood SAD. Children with SAD might benefit from interventions that focus on helping them to become less critical of themselves after social interactions have not gone well.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Anxiety and Depressive Disorders in Offspring of Parents With Anxiety Disorders

OBJECTIVE

We conducted meta-analyses to assess risk for anxiety disorders among offspring of parents with anxiety disorders, and to establish whether there is evidence of specificity of risk for anxiety disorders as opposed to depression in offspring, and whether particular parent anxiety disorders confer risks for particular child anxiety disorders. We also examined whether risk was moderated by offspring age, gender, temperament, and the presence of depressive disorders in parents.

METHOD

We searched PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science in June, 2016, and July, 2017 (PROSPERO CRD42016048814). Study inclusion criteria were as follows: published in peer-reviewed journals; contained at least one group of parents with anxiety disorders and at least one comparison group of parents who did not have anxiety disorders; reported rates of anxiety disorders in offspring; and used validated diagnostic tools to ascertain diagnoses. We used random and mixed-effects models and evaluated study quality.

RESULTS

We included 25 studies (7,285 offspring). Where parents had an anxiety disorder, offspring were significantly more likely to have anxiety (risk ratio [RR] = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.58-1.96) and depressive disorders (RR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.13-1.52) than offspring of parents without anxiety disorders. Parent panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder appeared to confer particular risk. Risk was greater for offspring anxiety than for depressive disorders (RR = 2.50, 95% CI = 1.50-4.16), and specifically for offspring generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder and specific phobia, but there was no evidence that children of parents with particular anxiety disorders were at increased risk for the same particular anxiety disorders. Moderation analyses were possible only for offspring age, sex, and parental depressive disorder; none were significant.

CONCLUSION

Parent anxiety disorders pose specific risks of anxiety disorders to offspring. However, there is limited support for transmission of the same particular anxiety disorder. These results support the potential for targeted prevention of anxiety disorders.

Paranoid beliefs and realistic expectations of victimization: Data from the survey of police-public encounters

BACKGROUND

The anticipation of threat or victimization is a core feature of paranoia. Cognitive theories of paranoia suggest that paranoid thoughts may arise as a psychological response to trauma exposure, which likewise may lead to greater anticipation of subsequent victimization. Little is known, however, about the relation between paranoid beliefs and anticipated victimization when accounting for past victimization experience. The present study aimed to address whether the experiences of past victimization contribute to the link between paranoid beliefs and the anticipation of threat or victimization, with a particular focus on exposure to police violence.

METHODS

Data were collected through the Survey of Police-Public Encounters (N=1615), a cross-sectional, general population survey study conducted in four Eastern U.S. cities. Associations between paranoia and anticipated victimization were assessed using linear regression models, with and without adjustment for past victimization exposure.

RESULTS

Paranoid beliefs were positively associated with police victimization expectations (β=0.19, p<0.001), but these associations were statistically better explained by past exposures to similar victimization such that paranoia was no longer associated with anticipated victimization in adjusted models (β=0.02, p=0.451). To assess for the specificity of past exposures to victimization, adjusting for past exposure to intimate partner violence (as a control condition) did not eliminate the association between paranoia and expected police victimization.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall findings are consistent with cognitive theories of paranoia in which paranoid beliefs may be a severe but normative reaction to past victimization exposures in some cases.

A latent class analysis of psychotic symptoms in the general population

OBJECTIVE

Individuals with psychotic symptoms may actually correspond to various subgroups, characterized by different patterns of psychotic symptoms as well as specific sociodemographic and clinical correlates. We aimed to identify groups of individuals from the general population with specific patterns of psychotic symptoms.

METHODS

In a 38,694-subject survey, a latent class analysis was performed to identify subgroups based on the distribution of seven psychotic symptoms taken from the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. The different classes were subsequently compared according to sociodemographic and clinical correlates.

RESULTS

The best fit was obtained with a four-class solution, including the following: (1) a class with a low prevalence of all psychotic symptoms ('LOW', 85.9%); (2) a class with a high prevalence of all psychotic symptoms ('HAL + DEL', 1.7%); and classes with a high prevalence of (3) hallucinations ('HAL', 4.5%) or (4) delusions ('DEL', 7.9%). The HAL + DEL class displayed higher rates of history of trauma, social deprivation and migrant status, while the HAL and DEL classes displayed intermediate rates between HAL + DEL and LOW. HAL + DEL displayed the highest rates of psychotic and non-psychotic disorders and the use of mental health treatment, while HAL and DEL displayed intermediate rates of these disorders between HAL + DEL and LOW. In comparison to the HAL class, psychotic and substance use disorders were more frequent in the DEL class, while anxiety and mood disorders were less frequent.

CONCLUSION

These findings support the hypothesis of a continuum model relating the level of psychotic symptoms to the level of global psychopathology.

Sociodemographic and clinical correlates of psychotic symptoms in the general population: Findings from the MHGP survey

BACKGROUND

We aimed to explore the sociodemographic and psychiatric correlates of psychotic symptoms in a large general population sample.

METHODS

The French Mental Health in the General Population cross-sectional survey interviewed 38,694 individuals using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. We looked for associations between the presence of lifetime psychotic symptoms, sociodemographic characteristics (including migrant status over three generations) and clinical characteristics. We then looked for associations regarding only hallucinations, delusional symptoms, and the co-occurrence of both hallucinations and delusional symptoms. To test the psychosis continuum hypothesis, associations with sociodemographic characteristics were compared with the characterized psychotic disorders' associations.

RESULTS

We found that 22.3% of the population declared psychotic symptoms without psychotic disorders, including 5.7% who declared hallucinations, 20.5% delusional symptoms, 4.0% both hallucinations and delusional symptoms, and 2.8% characterized psychotic disorders. The presence of psychotic symptoms was associated with young age, migrant status (over three generations), secondary education level, low-income level and never-married and separated marital status. Hallucinations, delusional symptoms and the co-occurrence of both hallucinations and delusional symptoms showed the same correlates, and hallucinations were also associated with elementary education level. Characterized psychotic disorders showed the same correlates. Concerning clinical outcomes, the presence of psychotic symptoms, hallucinations and delusional symptoms was associated with all non-psychotic disorders, i.e., bipolar, depressive, alcohol use, generalized anxiety, social phobia, panic and post-traumatic stress disorders and dysthymia (except dysthymia, which was not associated with hallucinations).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that psychotic symptoms are associated with broad psychopathologies and support the continuum model of psychosis.

Incident mental disorders in the aftermath of traumatic events: A prospective-longitudinal community study

BACKGROUND

Few strictly prospective-longitudinal community studies examined the role of traumatic events for risk of developing a broad range of incident mental disorders over several years.

METHOD

A representative community sample of adolescents and young adults (n = 2797, baseline age 14-24) was prospectively examined in up to three assessment waves over up to 10 years. Traumatic events and DSM-IV mental disorders were assessed at each wave using the DIA-X/M-CIDI. Associations between traumatic events (meeting the DSM-IV A1-criterion for posttraumatic stress disorder, PTSD) or qualifying traumatic events (meeting the DSM-IV A2-criterion) at baseline and incident disorders at follow-up were tested with logistic regressions adjusted for gender and age.

RESULTS

While traumatic and qualifying traumatic events at baseline were related to various baseline disorders, considerably fewer associations were found in strictly prospective analyses with incident disorders at follow-up as outcomes. After adjustment for baseline disorders, only (a) the association of traumatic events with incident specific phobias (Odds Ratio, OR = 1.6) and (b) the associations of qualifying traumatic events with incident specific phobias (OR = 1.6), PTSD (OR = 2.5) and major depressive episodes (OR = 1.4) remained significant.

CONCLUSION

Targeted prevention and early intervention among traumatized individuals may be particularly beneficial to lower the incidence of specific phobias and MDE besides PTSD.

LIMITATIONS

Associations between traumatic events and incident mental disorders might be underestimated, as cases developing psychopathology immediately after trauma exposure prior to baseline were excluded in our strictly prospective analyses.

Connecting the Dots between Schizotypal Symptoms and Social Anxiety in Youth with an Extra X Chromosome: A Mediating Role for Catastrophizing

Youth with an extra X chromosome (47, XXY & 47, XXX) display higher levels of schizotypal symptoms and social anxiety as compared to typically developing youth. It is likely that the extra X chromosome group is at-risk for clinical levels of schizotypy and social anxiety. Hence, this study investigated how schizotypal and social anxiety symptoms are related and mechanisms that may explain their association in a group of 38 children and adolescents with an extra X chromosome and a comparison group of 109 typically developing peers (8–19 years). Three cognitive coping strategies were investigated as potential mediators, rumination, catastrophizing, and other-blame. Moderated mediation analyses revealed that the relationship between schizotypal symptoms and social anxiety was mediated by catastrophizing coping in the extra X chromosome group but not in the comparison group. The results suggest that youth with an extra X chromosome with schizotypal symptoms could benefit from an intervention to weaken the tendency to catastrophize life events as a way of reducing the likelihood of social anxiety symptoms.

Paranoid Thoughts in Adolescents with Social Anxiety Disorder

Recently, social anxiety disorder (SAD) and paranoia have been demonstrated to be closely related. However, data were primarily drawn from adult community samples or patients with schizophrenia. The present study used a cross-sectional design to evaluate a sample of adolescents with SAD (n = 30, mean age 15.3 ± 0.9 years) compared with an age- and sex-matched group of healthy controls (n = 26, mean age 15.9 ± 1.6 years). The SAD group displayed more frequent and intense paranoid thoughts than the control group (t = 4.16, p < 0.001). The level of paranoid thoughts was significantly predicted by the degree of social phobia, even after adjusting for sex and other anxiety disorders, although adjusting for depression slightly reduced the extent and significance of the prediction. A lack of awareness about the association between SAD and paranoia may lead to incorrect diagnoses (e.g. misdiagnosis of psychotic disorders), or it may negatively influence the (psycho)therapeutic process and patient outcomes.

Paranoid delusional disorder follows social anxiety disorder in a long-term case series: evolutionary perspective

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) patients may have self-referential ideas and share other cognitive processes with paranoid delusional disorder (PDD) patients. From an evolutionary perspective, SAD may derive from biologically instinctive social hierarchy ranking, thus causing an assumption of inferior social rank, and thus prompting concerns about mistreatment from those of perceived higher rank. This naturalistic longitudinal study followed four patients with initial SAD and later onset of PDD. These four patients show the same sequence of diagnosed SAD followed by diagnosed PDD, as is often retrospectively described by other PDD patients. Although antipsychotic medication improved psychotic symptoms in all patients, those who also had adjunctive serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitors for SAD had much more improvement in both psychosis and social functioning. From an evolutionary perspective, it can be conjectured that when conscious modulation of the SAD social rank instinct is diminished due to hypofrontality (common to many psychotic disorders), then unmodulated SAD can lead to paranoid delusional disorder, with prominent ideas of reference. Non-psychotic SAD may be prodromal or causal for PDD.

The 'Early Developmental Stages of Psychopathology (EDSP) study': a 20-year review of methods and findings

PURPOSE

The "Early Developmental Stages of Psychopathology (EDSP)" study is a prospective-longitudinal study program in a community sample (Munich, Germany) of adolescents and young adults. The program was launched in 1994 to study the prevalence and incidence of psychopathological syndromes and mental disorders, to describe the natural course and to identify vulnerability and risk factors for onset and progression as well as psychosocial consequences. This paper reviews methods and core outcomes of this study program.

METHODS

The EDSP is based on an age-stratified random community sample of originally N = 3021 subjects aged 14-24 years at baseline, followed up over 10 years with up to 3 follow-up waves. The program includes a family genetic supplement and nested cohorts with lab assessments including blood samples for genetic analyses. Psychopathology was assessed with the DSM-IV/M-CIDI; embedded dimensional scales and instruments assessed vulnerability and risk factors.

RESULTS

Beyond the provision of age-specific prevalence and incidence rates for a wide range of mental disorders, analyses of their patterns of onset, course and interrelationships, the program identified common and diagnosis-specific distal and proximal vulnerability and risk factors including critical interactions.

CONCLUSIONS

The EDSP study advanced our knowledge on the developmental pathways and trajectories, symptom progression and unfolding of disorder comorbidity, highlighting the dynamic nature of many disorders and their determinants. The results have been instrumental for defining more appropriate diagnostic thresholds, led to the derivation of symptom progression models and were helpful to identify promising targets for prevention and intervention.

Self-reported psychotic-like experiences in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder versus schizophrenia patients: characteristics and moderation role of trait anxiety

Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) have been found to manifest themselves on a continuum spanning both the general and clinical populations. Despite robust evidence that anxiety disorders are associated with increased risk of PLEs, little is known about their characteristics in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Therefore, this study aimed to explore the phenomenological similarities and differences of PLEs in OCD versus schizophrenia patients and healthy controls, and to test the impact of distress symptomatology on PLEs in OCD patients. The survey included the Peter et al. Delusion Inventory, the Launay-Slade Hallucinations Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory II, the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and measures of severity of OCD and schizophrenia symptoms. Considering the clinical groups as a whole, few differences were found for both delusions and hallucination-like experiences. Nevertheless, after controlling for emotional distress differences between OCD and schizophrenia patients in some PLEs became significant. Moreover, obsessive symptoms moderated by anxiety trait predicted levels of delusion-like experiences in OCD patients. This study highlights PLEs are also present in OCD patients, in particularly in presence of higher emotional distress and that anxiety trait plays a relevant role in the development and maintenance of delusion-like experiences in OCD patients.

The transcending benefits of physical activity for individuals with schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-ethnography

A systematic review and meta-ethnographic synthesis exploring the experiences of people with schizophrenia and healthcare professionals (HCPs) towards physical activity was undertaken. Major electronic databases were searched from inception until January 2014. Studies were eligible if they considered the experiences and perceptions of people with schizophrenia or the perceptions of HCPs towards physical activity. All included studies were synthesised within a meta-ethnographic approach, including completing a methodological quality assessment. The search strategy identified 106 articles, 11 of which were included in the final analysis. Eight articles considered patients׳ experiences and perceptions, and three articles considered the experiences and perceptions of HCPs. A total of 108 patients and 65 HCPs were included. Three main themes were identified: (1) the influence of identity, culture and the environment on physical activity engagement, (2) access and barriers to participation in physical activity, and (3) the benefits of engaging in physical activity. Aspects within the built, social and political environment as well as aspects of social cognition and perceptual biases influence participation in physical activity for individuals with schizophrenia. Specific recommendations for HCPs are given to help promote physical activity in this population group.

Social anxiety disorder, a lifelong disorder? A review of the spontaneous remission and its predictors

OBJECTIVE

Based on clinical observations, social anxiety disorder (SAD) is usually described as a chronic disorder. Its natural course in the community is less clear.

METHOD

The present review summarises prospective and retrospective spontaneous remission rates of SAD in the community and its predictors that were published after 1987. Remission rates were specified as partial, defined as still having social fears, but not fulfilling the diagnostic criteria, and full, defined as having no social fears anymore.

RESULTS

In prospective studies, remission rates of SAD varied between 36% and 93% and in retrospective studies between 3% and 80%. The estimated average remission rate in prospective studies was 50% for full remission and 79% when including partial remission. In retrospective studies, the average remission rate was 26% during the last year and 56% over the lifetime. Diverse predictors of remission of SAD have been found that can be clustered into less severe anxiety, less additional psychopathology, less stress, employment, and mental health.

CONCLUSION

The enormous variation in remission rates indicates that SAD might have different course types (short, fluctuating, and chronic) and is not necessarily a chronic disorder. Prevention and treatment should be focused on enhancing positive and reducing negative factors.

Worries about being judged versus being harmed: disentangling the association of social anxiety and paranoia with schizotypy

Paranoia is a dimension of clinical and subclinical experiences in which others are believed to have harmful intentions. Mild paranoid concerns are relatively common in the general population, and more clinically severe paranoia shares features with social anxiety and is a key characteristic of schizotypy. Given that subclinical manifestations of schizotypy and paranoia may predict the occurrence of more severe symptoms, disentangling the associations of these related constructs may advance our understanding of their etiology; however no known studies to date have comprehensively evaluated how paranoia relates to social anxiety and schizotypy. The current research sought to examine the association of paranoia, assessed across a broad continuum of severity, with 1) the positive and negative schizotypy dimensions and 2) social anxiety. Specifically, the study tested a series of six competing, a priori models using confirmatory factor analysis in a sample of 862 young adults. As hypothesized, the data supported a four-factor model including positive schizotypy, negative schizotypy, social anxiety, and paranoia factors, suggesting that these are distinct constructs with differing patterns of interrelationships. Paranoia had a strong association with positive schizotypy, a moderate association with social anxiety, and a minimal association with negative schizotypy. The results are consistent with paranoia being part of a multidimensional model of schizotypy and schizophrenia. Prior studies treating schizotypy and schizophrenia as homogenous constructs often produce equivocal or non-replicable results because these dimensions are associated with distinct etiologies, presentations, and treatment responses; thus, the present conceptualization of paranoia within a multidimensional schizotypy framework should advance our understanding of these constructs.

Attachment: developmental pathways to affective dysregulation in young people at ultra-high risk of developing psychosis

OBJECTIVE

Embedded in attachment theory is its association with affect regulation, which provides a framework for affective dysregulation in the emerging psychosis.

METHOD

Fifty-one participants meeting criteria for ultra-high risk (UHR) of developing psychosis were recruited from a youth mental health service within the United Kingdom. At intake baseline, prior to starting therapeutic intervention, all clients were assessed on measures of affective dysregulation and attachment.

RESULTS

A large proportion of our sample (N = 51) reported clinically significant levels of depression (78%), state anxiety (59%), and social anxiety (65%). Eighty per cent of the UHR sample was insecurely attached. Insecure attachment was significantly associated with elevated depression and social anxiety. Attachment styles were associated with anxiety, depression, and social anxiety. There was no support for a mediating role of social anxiety between attachment styles and depression.

CONCLUSION

Clinically significant levels of distress and anxiety experienced by the young people at high risk of psychosis. Clinical implications for the treatment of affective dysregulation in young people at UHR in relation to their attachment styles have been discussed.

The structure of paranoia in the general population

BACKGROUND

Psychotic phenomena appear to form a continuum with normal experience and beliefs, and may build on common emotional interpersonal concerns.

AIMS

We tested predictions that paranoid ideation is exponentially distributed and hierarchically arranged in the general population, and that persecutory ideas build on more common cognitions of mistrust, interpersonal sensitivity and ideas of reference.

METHOD

Items were chosen from the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Disorders (SCID-II) questionnaire and the Psychosis Screening Questionnaire in the second British National Survey of Psychiatric Morbidity (n = 8580), to test a putative hierarchy of paranoid development using confirmatory factor analysis, latent class analysis and factor mixture modelling analysis.

RESULTS

Different types of paranoid ideation ranged in frequency from less than 2% to nearly 30%. Total scores on these items followed an almost perfect exponential distribution (r = 0.99). Our four a priori first-order factors were corroborated (interpersonal sensitivity; mistrust; ideas of reference; ideas of persecution). These mapped onto four classes of individual respondents: a rare, severe, persecutory class with high endorsement of all item factors, including persecutory ideation; a quasi-normal class with infrequent endorsement of interpersonal sensitivity, mistrust and ideas of reference, and no ideas of persecution; and two intermediate classes, characterised respectively by relatively high endorsement of items relating to mistrust and to ideas of reference.

CONCLUSIONS

The paranoia continuum has implications for the aetiology, mechanisms and treatment of psychotic disorders, while confirming the lack of a clear distinction from normal experiences and processes.

What Did We Learn from Research on Comorbidity In Psychiatry? Advantages and Limitations in the Forthcoming DSM-V Era

Despite the large amount of research conducted in this area over the last two decades, comorbidity of psychiatric disorders remains a topic of major practical and theoretical significance.

Official diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines of psychiatric disorders still do not provide clinicians and researchers with any treatment-specific indications for those cases presenting with psychiatric comorbidity. We will discuss the diagnostic improvement brought about, in clinical practice, by the punctual and refined recognition of threshold and subthreshold comorbidity. From such a perspective, diagnostic procedures and forthcoming systems of classification of mental disorders should attempt to combine descriptive, categorical and dimensional approaches, addressing more attention to the cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of nuclear, subclinical, and atypical symptoms that may represent a pattern of either full-blown or partially expressed psychiatric comorbidity. This should certainly be regarded as a positive development. Parallel, continuous critical challenge seems to be vital in this area, in order to prevent dangerous trivializations and misunderstandings.

Anxiety and depressive disorders are associated with delusional-like experiences: a replication study based on a National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing

OBJECTIVES

There is growing evidence that delusional-like experiences (DLE) are associated with common mental disorders. In particular, a National Mental Health Survey conducted in Australia during 2007 reported an association between DLE and both anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the previous study did not examine this association with respect to subtypes of anxiety disorder nor with severity of MDD. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between DLE and both anxiety disorder and MDD in more detail based on an independent population sample.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Subjects were drawn from the Australian Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing 1997 using a stratified multistage area sampling of persons living in private dwellings in all States and Territories of Australia.

PARTICIPANTS

Approximately 13 600 private dwellings were initially selected with one person aged 18 years or older from each dwelling invited to participate. In total, 10 641 individuals participated in the survey.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to identify individuals with DLE and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, Fourth Edition (DSM IV) lifetime diagnoses of anxiety disorders and MDD. The influence of various anxiety disorders and MDD on DLE was assessed with logistic regression.

RESULTS

Having a lifetime diagnosis of either any anxiety disorder or MDD was significantly associated with the endorsement of DLE. The association was found for each of the main anxiety disorders when examined separately. There was a dose-response relationship between increasing severity of MDD and higher odds of DLE endorsement.

CONCLUSIONS

DLE are associated with a wide range of anxiety disorders and are more prevalent in those with MDD. Understanding the relationship between DLE, anxiety disorders and depression may provide insights into shared pathways that underpin both psychotic disorders and common mental disorders.