Pessimistic Attributional Style Research Articles

The relationship between trauma, stress, and premenstrual symptoms: the role of attributional style and trait anger

ABSTRACT Aims The aim of this study was to examine potential mediators of the relationship between traumatic experiences, perceived stress, and the subjective, retrospectively measured, intensity of symptoms of premenstrual disorders. It was hypothesised that pessimistic attributional style and trait anger mediate the said relationship. Methods The study sample comprised 150 non-clinical subjects (aged 18–31; M = 21.82; SD = 2.19). Study variables were assessed with self-report questionnaires: the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST); the Traumatic Experiences Checklist (TEC); the Perceived Stress Scale-4 Short Form (PSS-4); the Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ); and the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 (STAXI-2 – trait anger subscale). Correlation and mediation analyses were performed. Results The symptoms of premenstrual disorders were significantly and positively associated with both trait anger and pessimistic attributional style, as well as with trauma and stress. The correlations were moderate to strong, ranging from rho = 0.57 (pessimistic attributional style and trauma) to rho = 0.85 (stress and premenstrual symptoms). Both anger and pessimistic attributional style partially mediated the relationship between trauma and premenstrual symptoms and between stress and premenstrual symptoms. Conclusion Although the design of the study does not allow to infer causality, it demonstrates strong, positive relationship between the symptoms of premenstrual disorders, trauma, stress, attributional style, and anger. The results of mediation analyses may point to some practical implications (e.g. for psychotherapeutic interventions) but further studies employing prospective methods are needed.

Lateral asymmetry of emotional arousal as a biomarker of attributional style during darts competitions.

According to the Multiple Arousal Theory, electrodermal activity (EDA) is not uniform across the body. However, the psychological meaning of a left or right-sided EDA dominance is still not clear. We explored EDA lateral asymmetry as a psychophysiological marker of optimistic and pessimistic attributional style regarding success and failure in a darts competition. Bilateral EDA pattern of 230 throws of a competing pair was measured by Obimon EDA including accelerometer measurements of movements. First, we confirmed that lateral asymmetry can be measured reliably based on EDA data from both wrists. Second, we assessed attributional styles related to lateral asymmetry based on 80 individual throws. We recorded participants' expectations regarding their upcoming performance, and their attribution of success and failure based on Seligman's definition as optimist (internal cause attributed to success, or external cause ascribed to failure) or pessimist. The ratio of optimist and pessimist attributions was significantly different for throws with right or left-sided EDA dominance (p = 0.001). Optimistic attribution characterized 84% of right dominant, while pessimist 63% of left-dominant EDA during throws. We replicated these findings on 50 throws from 10 more individuals (p = 0.034). All individuals were right-handed. We conclude that wrist EDA can be reliably measured during physical movements, such as in a darts game. Lateral EDA asymmetry is a consistent psychophysiological marker of the attitude toward success and failure in a competitive setting, suggesting that lateral asymmetry of emotional arousal may serve as a novel psychophysiological biomarker for attribution style. Results underlie the psychophysiological relevance of bilateral arousal assessment and provide evidence-based verification for the Multiple Arousal Theory.

Pessimistic cognitive biases mediate socioeconomic status and children’s mental health problems

Low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with higher rates of emotional disorders in childhood and beyond. Here we assessed one possible contributor to this disparity, a cognitive bias in the interpretation of negative events, in a group of 341 9-year-olds (49% female, 94% White) ranging widely in SES. This cognitive bias, known as pessimism in the attributional style literature, is the tendency to interpret negative events as persistent (Stable) and pervasive (Global). It was found to be more common among lower SES children (effect sizes = 0.18–0.24 depending on SES measures: income to needs ratio, proportion of poverty from birth to age 9, and parental educational attainment). Moreover, persistent, pervasive adversity in children’s lives predicted this bias and mediated the SES—pessimism link. Pessimistic attributional style, in turn, was related to childhood emotional problems and mediated the relation between SES and these problems. Finally, evidence for serial mediation of the SES-mental health problems relationship was found via persistent, pervasive adversity and pessimism, respectively.

Development of a suicidal tendency model in borderline personality disorder patients based on perceived burden and suicidal acquisition capacity through pessimistic attribution style

Background and Aim: Borderline personality disorder is specifically separated from other mental disorders by its emphasis on successful suicide, non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors, and suicidal behavior as a diagnostic criterion. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop a model for suicide tendency in individuals with borderline personality disorder based on perceived burdensomeness and acquired capability for suicide through the use of deceitful documents. Methods: The research method was of correlation type with structural relationship path analysis plan, or modeling. The statistical population of the current study included all female and male adults aged 18 to 40 who referred to the psychiatric department of hospitals and psychiatric offices in Tehran during the year 2021, who received a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder and had a history of attempted suicide, suicidal tendencies, and There were suicidal thoughts. Sample get the method It was done purposefully through the screening of patients. The sample size was equal to 500 people, which was chosen according to Kline's theory to design structural equations. In this research, Beck's (1961) suicidal ideation questionnaires, suicidal behavior capacity (revised) by Osman et al. (2001), and Patterson et al.'s (1981) documentary styles and perceived burden with Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ) were measured. Data analysis in SPSS software AMOS It was done using the structural equation modeling method. Results: The results showed that the proposed research model had an acceptable fit. Therefore, the research model based on modeling the relationship between perceived burden and the acquired capacity of suicide with the desire to commit suicide through pessimistic attribution style was confirmed by using structural equation analysis. Also, the secondary results showed that there is a significant correlation between the predictor variables of the research with the tendency to commit suicide. In this way, the effect of perceived burden and acquired capacity of suicide with pessimistic attribution style was 0.25 and 0.30 respectively, which increased to 0.46 due to the facilitating role of pessimistic attribution style. Conclusion: Based on this, it can be concluded that the positive effect of the perceived burden and the acquired capacity of suicide on the desire to commit suicide is increased and facilitated by the style of pessimistic attributions. According to this result, the mediating role of pessimistic attributional style to facilitate the positive effect of predictor variables (perceived burden, and acquired suicidal capacity) on suicidal tendency in patients with borderline personality disorder was confirmed. This result indicates the possibility of combining Abramson's cognitive theory and Joyner's interpersonal relationships in explaining suicidal tendencies.

The Relationship between Internality and Self-development of Psychology Students: the Effect of Optimistic Attributional Style

The article represents the research of relationship between internality and self-development in the case of the different levels of optimistic attributional styles. The sample consists of psychology students of Ukraine. The strong positive impact of internality on self-development under conditions of medium optimistic attribution has been revealed. A decrease has also been set in self-development of psychology students with high internality in the case of a highly developed optimistic attributional style. It has been established that the psychology students with a medium level of optimistic attributional style and a high level of internality have the highest scores of self-development. The lowest self-development is typical of psychology students with high internality and pessimistic attributional style.

Attributative style as a determinant of тhe modality of emotional manifestations of personality

The article examines the features of the attributive style as a stable way of explaining the causes of events and its connection with the dominant emotional states and emotional response of the individual. Existing research on the relationship between cognitive functions and emotions is summarized, it is emphasized that causal attributions are an important part of understanding emotions and determine both specific attitudes and emotional reactions of the subject. According to the results of the empirical study, differences in the modality of emotional manifestations were found in subjects with different attributive styles. All interviewees showed a high level of well-being assessment, at the same time, subjects with an optimistic and more optimistic attribution style have slightly higher well-being indicators compared to subjects with pessimistic and more pessimistic styles. Interviewees with an optimistic attributional style are also characterized by a significantly higher level of activity: they are active, have many hobbies, are active, mobile, in contrast to high school students with a pessimistic attributional style, who have a low level of activity. Differences were also found in the indicators of self-esteem studied by their mood: they are significantly higher in high school students with an optimistic attribution style. The interviewed high school students with a pessimistic attributive style are characterized by a low level of assessment of their mood, they often feel dissatisfaction, disappointment, sadness, shame, sadness, guilt. The obtained results, in particular, significantly higher indicators of self-assessment of well-being, activity, mood and general psycho-emotional state in subjects with an optimistic attribution style, confirm the assumption of causal attribution as a determinant of the modality of emotional manifestations of personality.

Pessimistic attributional style for positive life events as a predictor of low mental health in russian sample

IntroductionAttributional style (AS) indicates cognitive dispositions for explaining positive and negative events. People with pessimistic АS explain failure with stable and global causes. Previous studies and meta-analyses (Hu et al., 2015; Peterson et al., 1985; Zhang et al., 2014) showed that pessimistic AS for failures is a reliable predictor of depression and ill-being, but the possible mediators of such relations are understudied.ObjectivesOur main objective was to analyse relations of pessimistic AS for success and failure with mental health. We hypothesized that pessimistic AS would be a predictor of low mental health mediated by self-esteem, dispositional optimism, and gratitude.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 261 adults (MA=32.09, SD=12.53, 13% male) using a 24-item attributional style questionnaire (SFASQ, Gordeeva et al., 2009), mental well-being scale (Tennant et al., 2007), self-esteem scale (Rosenberg, 1965), gratitude questionnaire (McCullough et al., 2002), and LOT (Scheier, Carver, 1985).ResultsA path model of effects of pessimistic AS in positive and negative situations on mental ill-being was developed. The model with three mediators fits the data very well: CFI=0.990; RMSEA=0.048. The pessimistic attributional style for positive events was a significant predictor of mental ill-being mediated by self-esteem, dispositional optimism, and gratitude while the indirect effect of pessimistic AS for failures on mental ill-being (controlling for age) was not significant.ConclusionsOnly the pessimistic AS for successes but not for failures was a significant predictor of mental ill-being which underline the importance of stable and global attributions of positive life events for mental health.

Child Mental Health: The role of different Attributional Styles

Background: High prevalence of mental health issues in the twenty-first century accounts for a lion share in the worldwide burden of disease. There is an alarming decrease in the onset of half of the mental health problems. Hence, it is necessary to explore the current situation and figure out the causes and preventive measures as well as the appropriate mental health enhancement measures. Individual characteristics, such as thinking patterns and perception, have an impact on the mental health. Attributional style is one source of ‘cognitive vulnerability’ which influences mental health disorders. Therefore, the present study examines whether there are any variations in the mental health of children with different attributional styles. Methods: The current research adopted a cross-sectional research design and selected 150 school going students [74 males and 76 females] between 10-13 years of age as participants. The Child Attributional Style Questionnaire [CASQ], Satisfaction with Life Scale-Children [SWLS-C], Brief Resilience Scale, and Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale [RCADS] are used to gather information. Results: The results indicated that children with a pessimistic attributional style experienced more depression and generalized anxiety than children with other two attributional styles. In terms of gender differences in mental health, female students with pessimistic attributional style significantly differed from their counterparts on depression [χ2 [2] = 10.131, p = 0.006] and separation anxiety [χ2 [2] = 6.456, p = 0.040]. Conclusion: Attributional style seems to have a significant role in depression and anxiety in female children. Although male children did not show any statistically significant results, they were more likely to be pessimistic in terms of their attributional style, which makes them vulnerable to mental health issues.

Self-reported affective biases, but not all affective performance biases, are present in depression remission.

Individuals with active major depressive disorder (MDD) have shown affective biases in cognitive flexibility and memory, particularly for negatively valenced stimuli. We evaluated whether impairments in affective flexibility would remain even during remission (rMDD), potentially representing trait- or scar-like effects of illness. Participants completed the Emotion Card Sort Test (ECST), a measure of cognitive flexibility containing emotionally valenced stimuli, and the Emotion Word Stimulus Test (EWST), a measure of affective biases in delayed recall and recognition memory, and several self-report measures. Healthy controls (HCs; n=35) and individuals with rMDD (n=93) did not differ on performance for any of the three word types on the ECST or EWT. However, individuals with rMDD demonstrated greater negative bias on EWT recognition trials relative to HCs (d=.36). On self-report measures, individuals with rMDD exhibited greater levels of neuroticism, problems with attentional control, pessimistic attributional style, and negative automatic thoughts compared to HCs. These results provide initial evidence that some performance, but not self-reported, indices of affective bias may improve during remission from MDD. Results of this study could suggest that some components of affective bias may represent state feature of illness and others trait-like risk or scar features. This study suggests that self-reported affective biases may persist in remission of major depressive disorder (rMDD). Affective attentional biases and affective memory biases were not demonstrated in individuals with rMDD, with the exception of a bias for recognizing negatively versus neutrally valenced stimuli. A limitation of this study was its cross-sectional design. Under ideal conditions, the same individuals would be studied in both the active and remitted phases of illness. Another limitation of this study was the smaller number of healthy controls relative to individuals with rMDD.

The Relationship of Self-Esteem and Attributional Styles with Self-Handicapping in Primary Schools

Background: Self-esteem, attributional styles, and self-handicapping play key roles in students’ individual and social performances. Through determining interactional relations among these factors, parents and schools can plan for improving students’ performances. Objectives: Hence, this study aimed to investigate the relationship of self-esteem and attributional styles with self-handicapping among primary school students. Methods: The statistical population of this study comprised of 3rd to 5th grades of primary school students in Zahedan, during the 2015 - 2016 academic year. The research sample consisted of 365 primary students (154 boys and 211 girls) aged 9 to 11 years old who were selected using the random cluster sampling method. The research measurement tools were the Seligman et al. Children’s attributional style questionnaire, the rosenberg self-esteem scale, and the Midgley et al. self-handicapping scale. The statistical analyses were performed via SPSS 16using both descriptive and inferential statistics including the correlation test and the Inter regression analysis. Results: The descriptive results indicated that the means of the pessimistic (9.15), optimistic (9.39) attribution styles, and self-handicapping (7.11) among the students were lower than the nominal mean of the questionnaires, however, the mean of self-esteem (31.20) was higher than the nominal mean score. Furthermore, results showed that self-handicapping was significantly and positively related to the pessimistic attribution style and it was significantly and negatively correlated with self-esteem. In addition, the results of the regression analysis showed that self-handicapping was a negative predictor of self-esteem (P ≤ 0.001) and was a positive predictor of the pessimistic attributional style (P = 0.03). Conclusions: Therefore, given the obtained results, students who had high self-esteem experienced low levels of self-handicapping. Moreover, students who applied the optimistic attributional style had high academic achievement and low self-handicapping. In this regard, methods aimed at improving self-esteem and the optimistic attributional style can be used to promote students’ educational statuses.

Attenuated intrinsic connectivity within cognitive control network among individuals with remitted depression: Temporal stability and association with negative cognitive styles.

Many individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) experience cognitive dysfunction including impaired cognitive control and negative cognitive styles. Functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging studies of individuals with current MDD have documented altered resting-state connectivity within the default-mode network and across networks. However, no studies to date have evaluated the extent to which impaired connectivity within the cognitive control network (CCN) may be present in remitted MDD (rMDD), nor have studies examined the temporal stability of such attenuation over time. This represents a major gap in understanding stable, trait-like depression risk phenotypes. In this study, resting-state functional connectivity data were collected from 52 unmedicated young adults with rMDD and 47 demographically matched healthy controls, using three bilateral seeds in the CCN (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, inferior parietal lobule, and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex). Mean connectivity within the entire CCN was attenuated among individuals with rMDD, was stable and reliable over time, and was most pronounced with the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and right inferior parietal lobule, results that were corroborated by supplemental independent component analysis. Attenuated connectivity in rMDD appeared to be specific to the CCN as opposed to representing attenuated within-network coherence in other networks (e.g., default-mode, salience). In addition, attenuated connectivity within the CCN mediated relationships between rMDD status and cognitive risk factors for depression, including ruminative brooding, pessimistic attributional style, and negative automatic thoughts. Given that these cognitive markers are known predictors of relapse, these results suggest that attenuated connectivity within the CCN could represent a biomarker for trait phenotypes of depression risk. Hum Brain Mapp 38:2939-2954, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Adjusting to Chronic Health Conditions

Research on adjustment to chronic disease is critical in today's world, in which people are living longer lives, but lives are increasingly likely to be characterized by one or more chronic illnesses. Chronic illnesses may deteriorate, enter remission, or fluctuate, but their defining characteristic is that they persist. In this review, we first examine the effects of chronic disease on one's sense of self. Then we review categories of factors that influence how one adjusts to chronic illness, with particular emphasis on the impact of these factors on functional status and psychosocial adjustment. We begin with contextual factors, including demographic variables such as sex and race, as well as illness dimensions such as stigma and illness identity. We then examine a set of dispositional factors that influence chronic illness adjustment, organizing these into resilience and vulnerability factors. Resilience factors include cognitive adaptation indicators, personality variables, and benefit-finding. Vulnerability factors include a pessimistic attributional style, negative gender-related traits, and rumination. We then turn to social environmental variables, including both supportive and unsupportive interactions. Finally, we review chronic illness adjustment within the context of dyadic coping. We conclude by examining potential interactions among these classes of variables and outlining a set of directions for future research.

Pessimism and Homework in CBT for Depression.

To investigate the moderating effects of attributional style on the relationship between client-rated benefits of homework completion and depression throughout a course of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). A total of 28 clients, aged 20 to 65 years, experiencing their first major depressive episode completed up to 20 sessions of CBT plus a follow-up session at 2 months. Clients, therapists, and independent observers completed the measures. Multilevel modeling was used for a within-person longitudinal analysis of data. Pessimism slightly moderated the relationship between quantity-quality of homework completion and depression severity over time. Decreases in depression severity were largely independent of level of homework completion. While CBT is effective in reducing depression, pessimistic attributional style can affect the perception that clients bring to the quantity and quality of homework completion. Clinicians could thus focus on dealing with pessimistic style for treatment and homework to moderate the severity of depression.

Relationship between attributional style, perceived control, self‐esteem, and depressive mood in a nonclinical sample: A structural equation‐modelling approach

The aim of this study was to examine the intricate relationship between some personality traits (i.e., attributional style, perceived control over consequences, self-esteem), and depressive mood in a nonclinical sample (N= 334). Method. Structural equation modelling was used to estimate five competing models: two vulnerability models describing the effects of personality traits on depressive mood, one scar model describing the effects of depression on personality traits, a mixed model describing the effects of attributional style and perceived control over consequences on depressive mood, which in turn affects self-esteem, and a reciprocal model which is a non-recursive version of the mixed model that specifies bidirectional effects between depressive mood and self-esteem. The best-fitting model was the mixed model. Moreover, we observed a significant negative effect of depression on self-esteem, but no effect in the opposite direction. These findings provide supporting arguments against the continuum model of the relationship between self-esteem and depression, and lend substantial support to the scar model, which claims that depressive mood damages and erodes self-esteem. In addition, the 'depressogenic' nature of the pessimistic attributional style, and the 'antidepressant' nature of perceived control over consequences plead in favour of the vulnerability model.

Pessimistic attributions and coping strategies as predictors of depressive symptoms in people with coronary heart disease

This two-wave longitudinal study examines the ability of pessimistic attributional style and coping strategies to predict depressive symptoms in a sample of 99 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). After the cardiac episode, the globality dimension of this style was associated with increased depressive symptoms, and this association was mediated by the low use of effective coping strategies. Stability and globality dimensions of pessimistic attributional style could also predict depressive symptoms eight weeks later. Cardiac intervention programmes should include the treatment of these symptoms and promote effective coping strategies as well as the modification of these stable and global attributions.

The Depressive Attributions Questionnaire (DAQ): Development of a Short Self-Report Measure of Depressogenic Attributions.

A depressogenic attributional style, i.e., internal, stable and global causal interpretations of negative events, is a stable vulnerability factor for depression. Current measures of pessimistic attributional style can be time-consuming to complete, and some are designed for specific use with student populations. We developed and validated a new short questionnaire suitable for the measurement of depressogenic attributions in clinical settings, the Depressive Attributions Questionnaire (DAQ). The 16-item DAQ, and measures of depression and related cognitive concepts were completed by three samples of depressed patients and matched controls, or depressed and non-depressed participants who had been exposed to a recent uncontrollable stressful life event (total N = 375). The DAQ had high (i) internal reliability, (ii) test-retest reliability, (iii) convergent, discriminant and construct validity. It predicted a diagnosis of major depression at 6 months after an uncontrollable stressor, over and above what could be predicted from initial depression severity. Depressed patients rated the scale as acceptable. The DAQ may be a useful short measure of depressogenic attributions, which is easy to administer, and predicts concurrent and future depression. It has possible applications as a screening measure for risk of depression, or as a treatment process measure.

Effects of Stress, Attributional Style and Perceived Parental Support on Depressive Symptoms in Early Adolescence: A Prospective Analysis

This study prospectively examined the role of attributional style and perceived parental support as intrapersonal and interpersonal risk and resilience factors to increases in depressive symptoms in the face of stress with a sample of 497 middle school students. Results demonstrated that boys with a pessimistic attributional style and low or moderate levels of parental support had higher levels of depressive symptoms than boys with high levels of support under high levels of stress but not under low levels of stress. Girls with a pessimistic attributional style and low or moderate levels of perceived parental support had higher levels of depressive symptoms than those with an optimistic attributional style, regardless of the level of stress. These results highlight the need to consider more complex models with multiple moderators, such as cognitive styles and parental support, as well as gender differences, in understanding the development of depressive symptoms in early adolescence.

Anhedonia and Pessimism in Hospitalized Depressed Adolescents

This longitudinal study investigates whether anhedonia and pessimistic attributional style represent a clinical state or a trait in hospitalized depressed adolescents. 81 consecutive adolescent inpatients were screened with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the clinician-rated Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) criteria sheet. 51 patients with BDI score ≥10 and/or ≥4 symptoms on MDD criteria sheet were assessed at Time 1 upon admission, with 39 patients (78%) assessed at discharge (Time 2) with the Pleasure Scale for Children and Children's Attributional Style Questionnaire—Revised. Anhedonia and pessimism at admission were associated with BDI scores at admission and discharge as well as number of depressive symptoms and depression severity. MDD diagnosis was associated with anhedonia, but not with pessimism. Pessimism—but not anhedonia—improved significantly by discharge. Results suggest that while some adolescents exhibit enduring anhedonia, pessimistic attributional style appears to be a concomitant feature of an acute depressive state.

Optimism, pessimism, and neuropsychological performance across semiology-based subtypes of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures

Past research has suggested that pessimistic attributional style may be a risk factor for psychopathology among patients with seizure disorders. In addition, classifying psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) into subtypes has been found to be clinically relevant. However, very few studies have addressed differences in optimism, pessimism, or neuropsychological performance among PNES subtypes. We previously classified adults with PNES into semiology-based subtypes (catatonic, minor motor, major motor). In the study described here, we compared subtypes on optimism, pessimism, depressive symptoms, and neuropsychological performance. We found that patients with PNES with low optimism had significantly greater depressive symptoms than patients with high optimism, F(2, 39)=36.49, P<0.01). Moreover, patients with high pessimism had significantly greater depressive symptoms than patients with low pessimism, F(2, 39)=13.66, P<0.01. We also found that the catatonic subtype was associated with fewer depressive symptoms and better verbal memory than the other PNES subtypes. Our results support relationships between optimism, pessimism, and depressive symptoms and extend these findings to a PNES sample. Overall, the results of the present study suggest that classification into semiology-based subtypes and study of normal personality traits among patients with PNES may have clinical significance.

Stability of self‐esteem in bipolar disorder: comparisons among remitted bipolar patients, remitted unipolar patients and healthy controls1

Changes in beliefs about the self are a central feature of bipolar disorder, with grandiose self-belief common in mania and low self-esteem evident in periods of depression. We investigated whether unstable self-esteem is a characteristic of bipolar disorder in remission. We compared 18 patients with DSM-IV bipolar disorder in remission, 16 patients with unipolar disorder in remission, and 19 healthy controls. The primary measure was a diary kept for one week and completed twice each day, measuring self-esteem and positive and negative affect. We also administered Winters and Neale's (J Abnorm Psychol 1985; 94: 282-290) implicit measure of attributional style. Whereas mean levels of self-esteem and affect were not abnormal in the remitted bipolar patients, the bipolar patients showed strong fluctuations in these processes. In common with the unipolar patients, they also showed a pessimistic attributional style on the Pragmatic Inference Task (PIT). Instability of self-esteem and affect is present in bipolar patients, even when their symptoms are in remission, and has previously been found in people at genetic risk of the disorder. It may be a marker of vulnerability to the disorder.