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Concomitants of paranoia in the general population

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 August 2010

D. Freeman ,
S. McManus ,
T. Brugha ,
H. Meltzer ,
R. Jenkins  and
P. Bebbington
D. Freeman*
Affiliation:
King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK
S. McManus
Affiliation:
National Centre for Social Research, London, UK
T. Brugha
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
H. Meltzer
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
R. Jenkins
Affiliation:
King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK
P. Bebbington
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health Sciences, University College London, London, UK
*
*Address for correspondence: D. Freeman, Ph.D., King's College London, Department of Psychology, PO Box 077, Institute of Psychiatry, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, UK. (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Background

Paranoia is an unregarded but pervasive attribute of human populations. In this study we carried out the most comprehensive investigation so far of the demographic, economic, social and clinical correlates of self-reported paranoia in the general population.

Method

Data weighted to be nationally representative were analysed from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey in England (APMS 2007; n=7281).

Results

The prevalence of paranoid thinking in the previous year ranged from 18.6% reporting that people were against them, to 1.8% reporting potential plots to cause them serious harm. At all levels, paranoia was associated with youth, lower intellectual functioning, being single, poverty, poor physical health, poor social functioning, less perceived social support, stress at work, less social cohesion, less calmness, less happiness, suicidal ideation, a great range of other psychiatric symptoms (including anxiety, worry, phobias, post-traumatic stress and insomnia), cannabis use, problem drinking and increased use of treatment and services.

Conclusions

Overall, the results indicate that paranoia has the widest of implications for health, emotional well-being, social functioning and social inclusion. Some of these concomitants may contribute to the emergence of paranoid thinking, while others may result from it.

Keywords

Delusionsepidemiologyparanoiaschizophrenia
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 41 , Issue 5 , May 2011 , pp. 923 - 936
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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