Relationship between Anger and Paranoid Thoughts in a Nonclinical Sample

Abstract

Anger has been suggested to be associated with paranoid thoughts in nonclinical groups. For a clear evaluation of the relationship between anger and paranoid thoughts, successive preliminary surveys were conducted in a student group in Japan. A total of 102 undergraduate students completed two scales-the Paranoia Checklist and the Spielberger Trait Anger Expression Inventory. The participants filled out the questionnaires twice, at a 1-mo. interval. The synchronous effects model was used to examine the relationship between the variables. Structural equation modeling demonstrated an acceptable fit, and trait anger at Time 2 was found to have a weak effect on paranoid thoughts at Time 2, whereas paranoid thoughts at Time 2 had no effect on trait anger at Time 2. The findings suggest the possibility of a relationship between trait anger and paranoid thoughts in a nonclinical population.