Paranoid beliefs and self‐criticism in students

Abstract

Paranoid beliefs are associated with negative and malevolent views of others. This study, however, explored hostile and compassionate self-to-self relating in regard to paranoid beliefs. A total of 131 students were given a series of scales measuring paranoid ideation, forms and functions of self-criticism, self-reassurance, selfcompassion and depression. Test scores were subjected to correlation and hierarchical regression analyses to explore the relative contribution of study variables to paranoid beliefs.In this population, paranoid beliefs were associated with forms and functions of self-criticism, especially self-hating and self-persecution. Paranoid beliefs were negatively correlated with self-kindness and abilities to be self-reassuring. These variables were also associated with depression (as were paranoid beliefs). A hierarchical regression found that self-hatred remained a predictor of paranoid ideation even after controlling for depression and self-reassurance. Paranoid beliefs seem to be associated with a critical and even hating experience of self. These inner experiences of self may be profitable targets for therapeutic interventions.

Pathways from paranoid conviction to distress: exploring the mediator role of Fears of Compassion in a sample of people with psychosis

“…Additionally, previous research has found associations between shame, self-criticism, and paranoid ideation (e.g. Matos, Pinto-Gouveia, & Gilbert, 2013;Mills, Gilbert, Bellew, McEwan, & Gale, 2007) and, in samples of people with psychosis, shame was found to be a mediator between paranoia and social safeness .…”

The development of compassionate engagement and action scales for self and others

“…using bipolar constructs: kindness vs self-judgement; mindfulness vs self-absorption/over identification, and common humanity vs isolation. Low scores, indicating low self-compassion, are highly correlated with experiences of paranoia, shame and self-criticism [88]; post traumatic stress disorder [60]; depression [95] and mental health problems in general [15,83,97].…”

Investigating The Relationship Between Flourishing And Self-Compassion: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

“…Research has found that higher self-compassion is positively associated with happiness, wisdom, personal initiative, curiosity, optimism, positive affect , social relationship, emotional intelligence, self-determination, life satisfaction (Neff, 2003a), and better emotional coping skills (Neff, Hseih, & Dejitthirat, 2005). On the other hand self-compassion is negatively associated with self-rumination, anger (Neff & Vonk, 2009), negative affect , depression (Mills, Gilbert, Bellew, McEwan, & Gale, 2007), submissive behaviour (Akın, 2009), loneliness (Akın, 2010), and automatic thoughts (Akın, 2012).…”