Cited by 236Schizophrenia research and treatmentMental Health and PsychiatryMental Health Research Topics

Emotions, self-esteem, and paranoid episodes: An experience sampling study

Thewissen, Viviane, Bentall, Richard P., Oorschot, Margreet, à Campo, Joost, van Lierop, Thom, van Os, Jim, Myin‐Germeys, Inez·2011·British Journal of Clinical Psychology

Abstract

OBJECTIVES. The evidence to date for a causal role of emotions in the generation of paranoid symptoms is scarce, mainly because of a lack of studies investigating the longitudinal association between emotional processes and paranoia. The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether momentary emotional experiences (anxiety, depression, anger/irritability) and self-esteem predicted the onset and duration of a paranoid episode. We also studied whether levels of emotional experiences and self-esteem were respectively higher and lower during a paranoid episode. DESIGN. A 1-week, prospective momentary assessment study. METHODS. Data were collected using the experience sampling method, a structured self-assessment diary technique. The sample consisted of 158 individuals who ranged across the paranoia continuum. Participants with a psychotic disorder were recruited from in-patient and out-patient mental health services. Participants without psychotic disorder were sampled from the general population. RESULTS. Specific aspects of emotional experience were implicated in the onset and persistence of paranoid episodes. Both an increase in anxiety and a decrease in self-esteem predicted the onset of paranoid episodes. Cross-sectionally, paranoid episodes were associated with high levels of all negative emotions and low level of self-esteem. Initial intensity of paranoia and depression was associated with longer, and anger/irritability with shorter duration of paranoid episodes. CONCLUSIONS. Paranoid delusionality is driven by negative emotions and reductions in self-esteem, rather than serving an immediate defensive function against these emotions and low self-esteem. Clinicians need to be aware of the central role of emotion-related processes and especially self-esteem in paranoid thinking.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1348/014466510x508677

Cites

81 of 81 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

This paper’s full text isn’t openly available, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Thewissen, V., Bentall, R. P., Oorschot, M., à Campo, J., van Lierop, T., van Os, J., & Myin‐Germeys, I.
Affiliations
  • Maastricht University Medical Centre (NL)
  • Bangor University (GB)
Corresponding author
Thewissen, Viviane
Venue
British Journal of Clinical Psychology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2011-03-02
Volume
50
Issue
2
Pages
178-195
ISSN
  • 0144-6657 (ISSN-L)
  • 2044-8260
OpenAlex
W1519776696
Cited by
236
References
79
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 24 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 15
FWCI
8.29
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • British Journal of Clinical Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Publications (Maastricht University) (publishedVersion)
  • DSpace (Open University in the Netherlands) (publishedVersion)
  • Lirias (submittedVersion)
  • DSpace (Open University in the Netherlands) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Publications (Maastricht University) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Mental Health and Psychiatry
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Mental Health Research Topics
Keywords
paranoia, self-esteem, anxiety, depression, anger, irritability, negative emotions, persecutory delusions, psychosis
MeSH terms
Adult, Affect, Anger, Anxiety, Delusions, Depression, Emotions, Female, Hallucinations, Humans, Irritable Mood, Male, Middle Aged, Paranoid Disorders, Personality Assessment, Prospective Studies, Schizophrenia, Paranoid, Self Concept, Statistics as Topic, Young Adult

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review