AUTHOR=Monsonet Manel , Ballespí Sergi , Sheinbaum Tamara , Valiente Carmen , Espinosa Regina , Kwapil Thomas Richard , Barrantes-Vidal Neus 

TITLE=Self-Schemas and Self-Esteem Discrepancies in Subclinical Paranoia: The Essential Role of Depressive Symptoms

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychiatry

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.623755

DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2021.623755

ISSN=1664-0640

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background :</bold> Self-concepts are being intensively investigated in relation to paranoia, but research has shown some contradictory findings. Studying subclinical phenomena in a non-clinical population should allow for a clearer understanding given that clinical confounding factors are avoided. We explored self-esteem, self-schemas, and implicit/explicit self-esteem discrepancies in three non-clinical groups with different psychopathological traits and a control group.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> Participants with elevated trait-paranoia (<italic>n</italic> = 41), depressive symptoms (<italic>n</italic> = 34), a combination of both traits (<italic>n</italic> = 32), and a control group (<italic>n</italic> = 71) were assessed on implicit and explicit self-esteem, self-schemas, depression, and paranoia. A dimensional approach with the total sample (<italic>n</italic> = 208) was also used to complement the information provided by the group approach.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> All groups presented similar and positive levels of implicit self-esteem. Trait-paranoia participants had similar levels of explicit self-esteem and self-schemas compared with the control group. However, the group with a combination of trait-paranoia and depressive symptoms showed the lowest levels of positive self-schemas and self-esteem. Furthermore, this group and the control group displayed implicit/explicit self-esteem discrepancies, although in opposite directions and with different implications. The dimensional approach revealed associations of trait-paranoia and depressive symptoms with poor explicit self-esteem and self-schemas but not with implicit self-esteem.</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold> Trait-paranoia participants showed different self-representations depending on whether depressive symptoms were present or not. The interaction between subclinical neurotic and psychotic traits entailed a detrimental self-representation that might increase the risk for psychopathology.</p>