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Examining Cognitive Biases Uniquely Associated with Schizotypy
Aqsa Zahid1, Michael W Best2,3,4
1Graduate Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, aqsa.zahid@mail.utoronto.ca.
Psychopathology
|April 24, 2023
Summary
Belief inflexibility is a cognitive bias specifically linked to schizotypy, not just general depression or anxiety. This finding may help understand the development of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive psychology
- Psychiatry
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Cognitive biases are common in schizotypy and may increase schizophrenia risk.
- These biases also appear in mood and anxiety disorders, complicating specificity.
- It remains unclear which cognitive biases are unique to schizotypy versus comorbid conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify cognitive biases specifically associated with schizotypy.
- To differentiate schizotypy-related biases from those linked to depression and anxiety.
- To explore the moderating roles of sex and ethnicity on these associations.
Main Methods:
- 462 participants completed self-report measures.
- Analyses included correlations, hierarchical regressions, and moderated regressions.
- Key measures assessed depression, anxiety, schizotypy, cognitive biases, and schemas.
Main Results:
- Self-referential processing, belief inflexibility, and attention for threat correlated with schizotypy.
- Belief inflexibility and social cognition problems were uniquely associated with schizotypy, independent of depression and anxiety.
- No moderation effects were found for biological sex or ethnicity.
Conclusions:
- Belief inflexibility may be a core cognitive bias in schizotypal personality.
- Further research is needed to confirm if this bias predicts transition to psychosis.
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