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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 1/2007

01-01-2007 | ORIGINAL PAPER

Instability in self-esteem and paranoia in a general population sample

Authors: Viviane Thewissen, Inez Myin-Germeys, Richard Bentall, Ron de Graaf, Wilma Vollebergh, Prof. Jim van Os

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 1/2007

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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.
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Metadata
Title
Instability in self-esteem and paranoia in a general population sample
Authors
Viviane Thewissen
Inez Myin-Germeys
Richard Bentall
Ron de Graaf
Wilma Vollebergh
Prof. Jim van Os
Publication date
01-01-2007
Publisher
Steinkopff-Verlag
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 1/2007
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-006-0136-1

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