Investigation of the association between young people's experiences of bullying and paranoia in clinical and non-clinical samples

Rankin, Calum (2018) Investigation of the association between young people's experiences of bullying and paranoia in clinical and non-clinical samples. D Clin Psy thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Paranoia is the unfounded beliefs that others intend to cause physical and/or psychological harm. Emerging evidence reflects an association between bullying and paranoia in adolescence, but lacks control of theoretically relevant covariates (beliefs about paranoia, shame, social anxiety and emotional dysregulation). The aims of the present study were to a) examine the association between bullying and paranoia b) compare severity of paranoia between clinical and non-clinical samples and c) establish the robustness of any association by controlling for the covariates. Data from questionnaires were obtained from clinical (N = 24) and non-clinical (N = 212) samples of 16 to 18 year old adolescents. Results indicated a strong association between bullying and paranoia. The severity of paranoia did not differ between clinical and non-clinical samples. Bullying appeared to contribute independently with paranoia after controlling for the covariates in the non-clinical sample. Using the clinical sample, an indirect association was found between bullying and paranoia via emotional dysregulation and external shame. Findings are consistent with literature highlighting that bullying is associated with paranoia. Paranoia may serve an adaptive function to detect social threats, and therefore become heightened from bullying. Furthermore, this association appears to be influenced by emotional dysregulation and external shame. Future research should further examine the association between bullying and paranoia, as well as other specific psychotic experiences such as hallucinations, in longitudinal large sample studies controlling for effects of theoretically relevance processes, including external shame and emotional regulation. Clarifying the roles of external shame and emotional dysregulation have important clinical implications in the context of bullying and paranoia experiences.

• Item Type: Thesis (D Clin Psy)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: Paranoia, bullying, psychotic symptoms, victimisation.
• Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
• Colleges/Schools: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Mental Health and Wellbeing
• Supervisor's Name: Gumley, Professor Andrew, Gajwani, Dr. Ruchika and Fraser, Dr. Diane
• Date of Award: 2018
• Depositing User: Dr Calum Rankin
• Unique ID: glathesis:2018-30837
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 05 Oct 2018 07:34
• Last Modified: 12 Nov 2018 16:59
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/30837