Paranoia has frequently been identified as common and distressing. The current study has two main aims: I) to replicate and extend the experimental paradigm previously found to induce state paranoia in students and 2) to determine whether, once activated, . state paranoia can be effectively alleviated by a mood induction intervention. The paradigm involved participants being exposed to an environment of high self-awareness manipulated by application of video camera and television screen and received failure feedback on their performance of a task. Participants were subsequently randomised to either positive or neutral mood inductions. State paranoia, self-awareness and mood were measured at baseline, post-paranoia induction and post-mood induction. Participants also completed trait measures of self-consciousness, negative other beliefs, depression, anxiety and paranoia. As predicted, the experimental setting was found to induce a significant increase in both state paranoia and self-awareness. The positive mood induction was found to significantly increase state positive mood, but the neutral mood induction was found to reduce positive mood state. State paranoia was found to reduce following both mood inductions. No difference between the mood induction groups was found for state paranoia. Trait paranoia and negative beliefs about others were significantly associated with levels of state paranoia post-paranoia induction. A trend was found between state paranoia and self-consciousness. Results suggest that state paranoia could effectively be alleviated by a mood induction intervention however this was not exclusive to type of mood induced. Both mood inductions seemed to be linked to a significant decrease in state self-awareness which could possibly be linked to the reduction in paranoia. It appears that people with high levels of trait paranoia and 3 negative beliefs about others may be predisposed to experiencing state paranoia in this particular environment. Clinical implications of these findings and possibilities for further research will be discussed. 4
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:583316 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Creators | Sherlock, Olivia |
| Publisher | University of London |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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