Humphreys Lloyd, Barrowclough Christine
Psychology Services, Bolton, Salford and Trafford Mental Health NHS Trust, Manchester, UK.
Br J Clin Psychol. 2006 Jun;45(Pt 2):231-46. doi: 10.1348/014466505X50509.
Previous research has suggested that individuals with persecutory delusions use an exaggerated self-serving bias to protect themselves from real or delusional threats to their underlying self-concept. However, the research to date has been inconsistent thereby limiting the conclusion that can be inferred. A possible explanation for these discrepant findings may be due to the use of measures with questionable validity and reliability such as the Attributional Style Questionnaire and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory. The present study aims to re-examine this theory using an improved methodology to determine whether defensive functioning is a defining feature of persecutory delusions.
Thirty-five participants suffering from recent onset psychosis were assessed in a cross-sectional design. Three tests of attributional style were used, two overt measures (Attributional Style Questionnaire, ASQ; and the Internal Personal and Situational Attributions Questionnaire, IPSAQ) and one covert measure (Pragmatic Inference Test). Self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI) and a semi-structured interview (Self-Evaluation and Social Support interview - schizophrenia version).
A self-serving bias (SSB) was found in the total sample using the ASQ but not specifically in participants with persecutory delusions. In addition, the SSB was unrelated to levels of paranoia on any measure of attributional style. An underlying depressive attributional style was found in both subjects with and without persecutory delusions, but was not associated with levels of paranoia. Lower positive and higher negative self-esteem was associated with increased paranoia and was associated with a SSB.
The results indicate that the attributional biases observed in individuals with persecutory delusions are not symptom-specific as previously suggested. The presence of an attributional, SSB was associated with lower psychotic experiences. The theoretical implications of the results will be discussed.
先前的研究表明，患有被害妄想症的个体使用一种夸大的自利偏差来保护自己免受对其潜在自我概念的真实或妄想威胁。然而，迄今为止的研究结果并不一致，从而限制了可以得出的结论。这些相互矛盾的发现的一个可能解释可能是由于使用了效度和信度存疑的测量方法，如归因风格问卷和罗森伯格自尊量表。本研究旨在使用改进的方法重新审视这一理论，以确定防御功能是否是被害妄想症的一个决定性特征。
对35名近期发病的精神病患者进行横断面设计评估。使用了三种归因风格测试，两种显性测量方法（归因风格问卷，ASQ；以及内部个人和情境归因问卷，IPSAQ）和一种隐性测量方法（语用推理测试）。使用罗森伯格自尊量表（SEI）和半结构化访谈（自我评估和社会支持访谈 - 精神分裂症版本）来测量自尊。
使用ASQ在总样本中发现了自利偏差（SSB），但在患有被害妄想症的参与者中并未特别发现。此外，在任何归因风格测量中，SSB与偏执水平均无关。在有和没有被害妄想症的受试者中均发现了潜在的抑郁归因风格，但与偏执水平无关。较低的积极自尊和较高的消极自尊与偏执增加相关，并且与SSB相关。
结果表明，在患有被害妄想症的个体中观察到的归因偏差并不像先前所建议的那样具有症状特异性。归因性SSB的存在与较低的精神病体验相关。将讨论结果的理论意义。
