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Self-esteem and delusion proneness.
Debbie M Warman1, Paul H Lysaker, Brandi Luedtke
1School of Psychological Sciences, University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana 46227, USA. dwarman@uindy.edu
The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
|June 10, 2010
Summary
Individuals with higher delusion proneness, including paranoid ideation and suspiciousness, reported lower self-esteem. This study explored unusual beliefs and self-esteem in a nonclinical group.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychopathology
Background:
- Self-esteem is a crucial aspect of psychological well-being.
- Unusual beliefs, even in nonclinical populations, warrant investigation for their psychological correlates.
- Understanding the relationship between self-esteem and delusion proneness can inform theories of psychosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between global self-esteem and various types of unusual beliefs.
- To investigate delusion proneness and its relationship with self-esteem in individuals without a history of psychotic disorder.
Main Methods:
- A nonclinical sample (N=121) completed self-report measures.
- Participants assessed for delusion-proneness and global self-esteem.
- Statistical analyses explored correlations between belief types and self-esteem levels.
Main Results:
- Individuals with high delusion proneness exhibited significantly lower self-esteem compared to those with low delusion proneness (p = 0.044).
- Elevated paranoid ideation and suspiciousness strongly correlated with lower self-esteem (p < 0.001).
- Smaller, yet significant, negative associations were found between low self-esteem and beliefs concerning thought disturbances, thought broadcasting, and ideas of reference/influence.
Conclusions:
- Lower self-esteem is linked to a higher propensity for delusions and specific unusual beliefs in a general population.
- Findings contribute to understanding the psychological underpinnings of delusion formation.
- The study highlights the importance of considering self-esteem in the spectrum of unusual beliefs.
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