Loneliness and psychotic-like experiences in middle-aged and older adults: the mediating role of selective attention to threat and external attribution biases.

IF 2.8 3区医学 Q3 GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY

Aging & Mental Health Pub Date : 2024-12-01 Epub Date: 2024-06-28 DOI:10.1080/13607863.2024.2372072

Pawel Lucjan, Timothy Bird, Caroline Murray, Angus Lorimer

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objectives: Loneliness has been associated with psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) in the general population, but the mechanisms underlying this association are poorly understood. Theoretical models, corroborated by empirical findings, signify the key role of biased cognition in both loneliness and psychosis. This study tested whether two cognitive biases - Selective Attention to Threat (ATB) and External Attribution Bias (EAB) - account for the association between loneliness and PLEs.

Method: A convenience sample (n = 357) of middle-aged and older adults (aged 40+) was recruited online from the UK population. The parallel mediation model with two the aforementioned cognitive biases as mediators was tested.

Results: A mediation effect between loneliness and PLEs via ATB (ab₁ = 0.441, 95% CI = [0.264, 0.646]) and EAB (ab₂ = 0.354, 95% CI [0.124, 0.627] was established. This model remained significant after controlling for the current symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Conclusion: Greater loneliness was associated with a higher rate of PLEs in the sample of middle-aged and older adults. This association was fully explained by ATB and EAB, independent of the current symptoms of anxiety and depression.

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中老年人的孤独感和精神病样体验：对威胁的选择性注意和外部归因偏差的中介作用。

目的：在普通人群中，孤独感与精神病样体验（PLEs）有关联，但人们对这种关联的内在机制知之甚少。理论模型和实证研究结果都表明，偏差认知在孤独和精神病中都起着关键作用。本研究测试了两种认知偏差--对威胁的选择性注意（ATB）和外部归因偏差（EAB）--是否解释了孤独与 PLEs 之间的关联：方法：从英国人口中在线招募中老年（40 岁以上）样本（n = 357）。结果：孤独感与 PLEs 之间存在中介效应：结果：孤独感和 PLEs 之间通过 ATB（ab1 = 0.441，95% CI = [0.264，0.646]）和 EAB（ab2 = 0.354，95% CI [0.124，0.627]）产生了中介效应。在控制了当前的焦虑和抑郁症状后，该模型仍然有效：结论：在中老年人样本中，更强的孤独感与更高的 PLEs 发生率相关。这种关联完全由 ATB 和 EAB 解释，与当前的焦虑和抑郁症状无关。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Aging & Mental Health 医学-精神病学

CiteScore

7.00

自引率

2.90%

发文量

176

审稿时长

4-8 weeks

期刊介绍： Aging & Mental Health provides a leading international forum for the rapidly expanding field which investigates the relationship between the aging process and mental health. The journal addresses the mental changes associated with normal and abnormal or pathological aging, as well as the psychological and psychiatric problems of the aging population. The journal also has a strong commitment to interdisciplinary and innovative approaches that explore new topics and methods. Aging & Mental Health covers the biological, psychological and social aspects of aging as they relate to mental health. In particular it encourages an integrated approach for examining various biopsychosocial processes and etiological factors associated with psychological changes in the elderly. It also emphasizes the various strategies, therapies and services which may be directed at improving the mental health of the elderly and their families. In this way the journal promotes a strong alliance among the theoretical, experimental and applied sciences across a range of issues affecting mental health and aging. The emphasis of the journal is on rigorous quantitative, and qualitative, research and, high quality innovative studies on emerging topics.