TY - JOUR

T1 - Do paranoid delusions exist on a continuum with subclinical paranoia?

T2 - a multi-method taxometric study

AU - Elahi, A.

AU - Perez Algorta, Guillermo Daniel

AU - Varese, F.

AU - McIntyre, J.C.

AU - Bentall, R.P.

PY - 2017/12

Y1 - 2017/12

N2 - Background: There is widespread interest in whether psychosis exists on a continuum with healthy functioning. Previous research has implied that paranoia, a common symptom of psychosis, exists on a continuum but this has not been investigated using samples including both patients and non-patients and up-to-date taxometric methods. Aim: To assess the latent structure of paranoia in a diverse sample using taxometric methods. Method: We obtained data from 2836 participants, including the general population as well as at- risk mental state and psychotic patients using the P-scale of the Paranoia and Deservedness Scale. Data were analysed using three taxometric procedures, MAMBAC, MAXEIG and L-MODE (Ruscio, 2016), and two sets of paranoia indicators (subscales and selected items from the P scale), including and excluding the patient groups. Results: Eleven of the twelve analyses supported a dimensional model. Using the full sample and subscales as indicators, the MAMBAC analysis was ambiguous. Overall, the findings converged on a dimensional latent structure. Conclusions: A dimensional latent structure of paranoia implies that the processes involved in sub-clinical paranoia may be similar to those in clinical paranoia.

AB - Background: There is widespread interest in whether psychosis exists on a continuum with healthy functioning. Previous research has implied that paranoia, a common symptom of psychosis, exists on a continuum but this has not been investigated using samples including both patients and non-patients and up-to-date taxometric methods. Aim: To assess the latent structure of paranoia in a diverse sample using taxometric methods. Method: We obtained data from 2836 participants, including the general population as well as at- risk mental state and psychotic patients using the P-scale of the Paranoia and Deservedness Scale. Data were analysed using three taxometric procedures, MAMBAC, MAXEIG and L-MODE (Ruscio, 2016), and two sets of paranoia indicators (subscales and selected items from the P scale), including and excluding the patient groups. Results: Eleven of the twelve analyses supported a dimensional model. Using the full sample and subscales as indicators, the MAMBAC analysis was ambiguous. Overall, the findings converged on a dimensional latent structure. Conclusions: A dimensional latent structure of paranoia implies that the processes involved in sub-clinical paranoia may be similar to those in clinical paranoia.

KW - Paranoia

KW - Taxometrics

KW - Dimensional

KW - MAMBAC

KW - MAXEIG

KW - L-MODE

U2 - 10.1016/j.schres.2017.03.022

DO - 10.1016/j.schres.2017.03.022

M3 - Journal article

VL - 190

SP - 77

EP - 81

JO - Schizophrenia Research

JF - Schizophrenia Research

SN - 0920-9964

ER -