Schizotypy relates to the behavioural response to criticism and praise: the mediating effects of negative affect and perceived expressed emotion
Poster B60, Tuesday, October%209, 11:30%20am%20-%201:00%20pm, Essex%20Ballroom
Preethi Premkumar1, Andrew Dunn1, Eva Zysk1, Elizabeth Kuipers2; 1Department of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, U.K., 2King’s College London, Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK
Background: Poor family communication is a risk for the onset of psychosis. Schizotypy is a latent personality organization, and another risk for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. Greater perceived criticism relates to depression in people with high positive schizotypal traits, which denotes perceptual aberrations, hallucinations, magical thinking and delusions. This study aimed to determine (1) the relation between schizotypy and the behavioural response to criticism and praise, and (2) whether depression, anxiety, and perceived expressed emotion from a close relative would mediate these associations. Method: 98 University students listened to standard praise, criticism, and neutral comments. Participants rated the arousal and relevance of each comment through Likert scales. Participants completed questionnaires of schizotypy, depression, anxiety and level of expressed emotion. Correlations tested the relation between schizotypy and the behavioural response to praise and criticism. Mediation analyses tested whether depression, anxiety, and perceived level of expressed emotion mediated these associations. Results: Greater positive schizotypy related to greater relevance of criticism. The mediators, in particular depression, fully mediated this association. Greater cognitive disorganisation, which denotes social anxiety, moodiness and poor concentration, related to greater relevance of praise. The mediators, in particular perceived level of intrusiveness from a close relative, partially mediated this association. Conclusion: Positive schizotypy relates to greater perceived criticism, which can be explained by depression. Cognitive disorganisation, which features social anxiety, relates to perceived praise, which can be partly explained by perceived level of intrusiveness from a close relative.
Topic Area: Stress Responsivity