The mediating effect of affect: Different pathways from self and other schemas to persecutory ideation.

Abstract

The threat anticipation model of paranoia (Freeman, 2007) highlights the important roles of schemas and affect in delusional belief; however, we aimed to address unanswered questions about the way in which affect mediates the relationship between schemas and persecutory ideas. In Study 1, we hypothesized that anxiety would mediate the relationship between persecutory ideation (PI) and both negative-self schemas (NSS) and negative-other schemas (NOS). A nonclinical sample completed a battery of measures on computer. Anxiety partially mediated the relationship between NSS and PI, but NOS were related to PI independently of anxiety. In Study 2, an expanded model included self-esteem as a further predictor and social anxiety and depression as additional mediators. A path analysis of the expanded model suggested that the strongest fit reflected pathways from the self-concept (NSS and self-esteem) to PI via the affective variables (social anxiety, anxiety, depression), but with depression being the most important mediator. NOS still showed an independent relationship with PI. The findings suggest 2 pathways to PI: negative-self schemas depend on negative affect (particularly depression) to predict PI; in contrast, strong negative-other schemas may present sufficient foundation for persecutory beliefs regardless of negative affect.