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Cited by 35Schizophrenia research and treatmentMental Health and PsychiatryHallucinations in medical conditions

The Intricate Relationship between Psychotic-Like Experiences and Associated Subclinical Symptoms in Healthy Individuals

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Unterrassner, Lui, Wyss, Thomas A., Wotruba, Diana, Haker, Helene, Rössler, Wulf·2017·Frontiers in Psychology
DOI 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01537PMC PMC5594214
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Abstract

The interplay between subclinical psychotic, negative, and affective symptoms has gained increased attention regarding the etiology of psychosis spectrum and other mental disorders. Importantly, research has tended to not differentiate between different subtypes of psychotic-like experiences (PLE) although they may not have the same significance for mental health. In order to gain information on the subclinical interplay between specific PLE and other symptoms as well as the significance of PLE for mental health, we investigated their specific associations in 206 healthy individuals (20-60 years, 73 females) using correlational and linear regression analyses. PLE were assessed with the Magical Ideation Questionnaire, the revised Exceptional Experiences Questionnaire, and subscales of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ). The revised Symptom Checklist 90, the SPQ, and the Physical Anhedonia Scale were used to measure subclinical negative symptoms, affective symptoms, and other symptoms such as, emotional instability. As hypothesized, we found that (1) most affective symptoms and all other subclinical symptoms correlated positively with all PLE, whereas we found only partial associations between negative symptoms and PLE. Notably, (2) magical ideation and paranormal beliefs correlated negatively with physical anhedonia. In the regression analyses we found (3) similar patterns of specific positive associations between PLE and other subclinical symptoms: Suspiciousness was a specific predictor of negative-like symptoms, whereas ideas of reference, unusual perceptual experiences, and dissociative anomalous perceptions specifically predicted anxiety symptoms. Interestingly, (4) ideas of reference negatively predicted physical anhedonia. Similarly, paranormal beliefs were negatively associated with constricted affect. Moreover, odd beliefs were a negative predictor of depression, emotional instability, and unspecific symptoms. Our findings indicated that subtypes of PLE are differentially implicated in psychological functioning and should therefore not be categorized homogeneously. Moreover, paranormal beliefs, odd beliefs, and partly ideas of reference might also contribute to subjective well being in healthy individuals. Our results might serve as a starting point for longitudinal studies investigating the interplay of subtypes of subclinical symptoms along a psychopathological trajectory leading to mental disorders. Importantly, this research might help to improve therapeutic strategies for psychosis prevention.

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  • Clinical groups have more negative symptoms and anhedonia.

    “Clinical groups also have more negative symptoms and anhedonia.41,46,50”

    From Brazilian Psychiatric Association guidelines on the integration of spirituality into mental health clinical practice: Part 1. Spiritual history and differential diagnosis (2023) · cites this paper as [46]

    The Introduction describes negative symptoms as characteristic of schizophrenia, and the Discussion identifies physical anhedonia as a negative-like symptom. But the study examined healthy individuals; our copy does not show that clinical groups have more negative symptoms or anhedonia than a comparison group. (LLM, conf=0.77)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Most included studies found that paranormal beliefs did not differ phenomenologically between clinical and non-clinical groups.

    “Most of the included studies found that paranormal beliefs did not differ phenomenologically between clinical and non-clinical groups.40,41,46,48,49”

    From Brazilian Psychiatric Association guidelines on the integration of spirituality into mental health clinical practice: Part 1. Spiritual history and differential diagnosis (2023) · cites this paper as [46]

    The Introduction and Results examine paranormal beliefs in healthy individuals, but do not report whether those beliefs differ phenomenologically from beliefs in clinical groups. The Discussion mentions a clinical sample only in relation to correlations with physical anhedonia. Searches for phenomenological comparisons and included studies found no passage addressing the claim; page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.75)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Paranoid symptoms (e.g., self-reference and suspiciousness) are more frequently found in clinical groups than in non-clinical groups.

    “First, most studies found that paranoid symptoms (e.g., self-reference and suspiciousness)41,46,50 are more frequently found in clinical groups.40,41”

    From Brazilian Psychiatric Association guidelines on the integration of spirituality into mental health clinical practice: Part 1. Spiritual history and differential diagnosis (2023) · cites this paper as [46]

    The Discussion describes suspiciousness and ideas of reference in healthy individuals, and the Methods report excluding potential clinical cases. Searches for clinical-versus-non-clinical prevalence found no passage comparing how frequently these paranoid symptoms occur in the two groups. (LLM, conf=0.74)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Unterrassner, L., Wyss, T. A., Wotruba, D., Haker, H., & Rössler, W.
Affiliations
University of Zurich (CH)
Corresponding author
Unterrassner, Lui
Venue
Frontiers in Psychology
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Published
2017-09-07
Volume
8
Pages
1537-1537
ISSN
1664-1078 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01537
PMC
PMC5594214
OpenAlex
W2753004574
Cited by
35
References
17
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 2
FWCI
2.25
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Frontiers in Psychology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • Refubium (Universitätsbibliothek der Freien Universität Berlin) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Repository for Publications and Research Data (ETH Zurich) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • ETH Zürich Research Collection (cc-by)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich)
Funders
Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Mental Health and Psychiatry
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Hallucinations in medical conditions
Keywords
psychotic-like experiences, subclinical symptoms, negative symptoms, affective symptoms, magical ideation, supernatural beliefs, ideas of reference, physical anhedonia, suspicion, neuroticism, anxiety, depression, psychosis spectrum, psychosis prevention, subjective well-being

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