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As stress is relevant to the formation of paranoia, maladaptive behavioral and physiological stress regulation is discussed as a crucial indicator of vulnerability. This is supported by research linking psychosis to the tendency to make less use of functional and more use of dysfunctional emotion regulation strategies (ER) and with a lower vagally-mediated heart rate variability (HRV). However, it remains unclear whether ER serves as a mediator between resting-state HRV on the one hand and subjective stress levels and paranoia on the other and whether this is specific to paranoia as compared to depression. We used an experience sampling method during seven days to repeatedly assess the experience of stress, usage of ER strategies, paranoia und depression (9/day) in a sample with subclinical positive symptoms (N = 32). Resting-state HRV was measured during a 5min interval in the laboratory. Data was analyzed by multi-level models. Higher resting-state HRV was predictive of lower stress-levels and of using more functional ER strategies (reappraisal, acceptance) in daily life, but did not predict the use of dysfunctional strategies (rumination, suppression) or paranoia. The association between resting-state HRV and stress was mediated by the usage of functional ER. Less functional and more dysfunctional ER were linked to higher levels of stress, paranoia and depression. Our study highlights that deficits in ER represent a link between psychophysiological and phenomenological aspects of paranoia but also of depression. This encourages to further investigate transdiagnostic prevention and therapy programs aiming to improve ER and to increase HRV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The negative symptoms of schizophrenia are related to lower social functioning even in non-clinical samples, but little is known about the distinct social consequences of motivational and expressive negative symptoms. In this study we focused on expressive negative symptoms and examined how these symptoms and varying degrees of pro-social facial expressiveness (smiling and mimicry of smiling) relate to the social evaluations by face-to-face interaction partners and to social support.Methods: We examined 30 dyadic interactions within a sample of non-clinical participants (N = 60) who were rated on motivational and expressive negative symptoms with the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS). We collected data on both interaction partners' smiling-muscle (zygomaticus major) activation simultaneously with electromyography and assessed the general amount of smiling and the synchrony of smiling muscle activations between interaction partners (mimicry of smiling). Interaction partners rated their willingness for future interactions with each other after the interactions.Results: Interaction partners of participants scoring higher on expressive negative symptoms expressed less willingness for future interactions with these participants (r = -0.37; p = 0.01). Smiling behavior was negatively related to expressive negative symptoms but also explained by motivational negative symptoms. Mimicry of smiling and both negative symptom domains were also associated with participants' satisfaction with their social support network.Limitations: Non-clinical sample with (relatively) low levels of symptoms.Conclusions: Expressive negative symptoms have tangible negative interpersonal consequences and directly relate to diminished pro-social behavior and social support, even in non-clinical samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loneliness and paranoia are related, but the mechanisms that link them to each other remain unclear. Systematic reviews on loneliness propose a social–cognitive model in which loneliness leads to negative evaluations of other persons and a lack of interpersonal trust. However, the data discussed in these reviews are based on healthy individuals. Building on this model, the present study investigated 1) whether negative interpersonal schemata mediate the association between loneliness and paranoia and 2) whether a low level of perceived social support and less frequent social contact are related to loneliness. Using a cross-sectional design, sixty-five participants with a diagnosis of schizophrenia were recruited online and completed questionnaire-based measures of loneliness, paranoia, negative interpersonal schemata, perceived social support and frequency of social contact. Data were analyzed taking a path-analytic approach. The association between loneliness and paranoia was significantly and fully mediated by negative schemata of others. Moreover, a low level of perceived social support was significantly associated with loneliness, whereas self-reported frequency of social contact was not. The present results highlight the potential role of interpersonal negative schemata in the formation and maintenance of paranoia and elucidate the crucial role of loneliness in the way individuals construe themselves within a social environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the social defeat (SD) hypothesis, this study examines the postulate that various social adversities converge into one common factor, and whether this factor has an effect on psychotic symptoms while controlling for its effect on depression and anxiety. Competing hypotheses arguing for the reverse effect were also tested. The study was a cross-sectional survey in a community sample (N =2350) from Germany ( n =786), Indonesia ( n =844), and the United States ( n =720). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and path analysis with structural equation modeling were used to test the hypotheses. In the CFA two factors reflecting current and past experiences of SD could be identified with acceptable fit. Path analysis indicated acceptable fit for both SD and reverse models, and both the path from current SD to psychotic symptoms and the reverse one were significant, although the former was stronger than the latter. Interestingly, the current but not the past SD factor was significantly associated with psychotic symptoms. Overall, the results indicate that postulates derived from the SD hypothesis fit the data. However, longitudinal research is needed to further confirm the postulated directionality of the associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defeatist performance beliefs (DPBs) are associated with the severe impairments in functioning of patients with negative symptoms of schizophrenia. This association has been found to be mediated by amotivation, a core aspect of negative symptoms. Although causality is assumed, longitudinal evidence for this is lacking. The current study aimed to extend previous findings by investigating both cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between DPBs, motivational impairments and functioning in a sample of patients with psychotic disorders ( N= 58). We hypothesized, that DPBs would be related to functioning in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses and that this link would be mediated by motivational impairments. Data was assessed at baseline and post-treatment in a trial on the effects of cognitive behavior therapy for psychosis. At baseline, amotivation mediated the association between DPBs and functioning. From baseline to post-treatment, reduction of amotivation was associated with improvement of functioning significantly, whereas reduction of DPBs was unrelated to improvements in functioning or amotivation. The findings suggest that improvement in amotivation accounts for favorable treatment outcomes in regard to functioning but question the causal role of DPBs in negative symptoms and functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]