Citation

Thewissen V, Myin-Germeys I, Bentall RP, de Graaf R, Vollebergh W, van Os J. Soc. Psychiatry Psychiatr. Epidemiol. 2007; 42(1): 1-5.

Affiliation

Dept. of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, South Limburg Mental Health Research and Teaching Network, EURON, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616 (DRT 10), 6200, MD, Mastricht, The Netherlands.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00127-006-0136-1

PMID

17160595

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Research on the association between paranoia and self-esteem has yielded inconsistent findings. Some studies have indicated an association between paranoia and low self-esteem, while other studies have shown an association with high self-esteem. A plausible explanation for these inconsistencies is that self-esteem is unstable in paranoid individuals. METHOD: The association between instability in self-esteem and paranoia was assessed in a general population risk set of 4636 individuals using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Self-esteem instability was significantly associated with the presence of paranoid symptoms (OR 1.27 95% CI 1.12-1.45) and not with other positive psychotic symptoms (OR 1.09 95% CI 0.96-1.23), adjusted for a range of a priori selected confounders. CONCLUSION: The finding of a specific association between unstable self-esteem and paranoia is in line with a recent psychological model suggesting that paranoid beliefs arise partly as a consequence of dysfunctional efforts to regulate self-esteem.

Language: en