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Peer Problems and Low Self-esteem Mediate the Suspicious and Non-suspicious Schizotypy-Reactive Aggression Relationship in Children and Adolescents

Wong, KK-Y; Raine, A; (2019) Peer Problems and Low Self-esteem Mediate the Suspicious and Non-suspicious Schizotypy-Reactive Aggression Relationship in Children and Adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence 10.1007/s10964-019-01125-9. (In press). Green open access

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Abstract

The relationship between schizophrenia and violence has been well-established. Yet very little prior research exists on the factors that might explain the nature of this relationship and even fewer studies seek to clarify the etiology of aggressive behavior in adolescents with specific features of schizotypal personality that might help improve the specificity of intervention. The current study tested whether one dimension of schizotypy alone (i.e., the ‘suspicious’ feature) or the other 8 dimensions (i.e., the ‘non-suspicious’ features) were particularly associated with aggressive behaviors (reactive and proactive aggression), and if peer problems and low self-esteem mediated these relationships. A serial multiple mediation model testing the hypothesized flow from suspicious and non-suspicious schizotypy to peer problems to low self-esteem and to increased aggression was tested in Hong Kong schoolchildren aged 8- to 14-years (N = 1412; Mage = 11.47, SD = 1.67 years, female = 47.6%). Increased suspicious and non-suspicious schizotypal features were found to be independently associated with increased reactive aggression, but not proactive aggression. Children with high levels of suspicious schizotypy and non-suspicious schizotypy were more likely to have poor peer problems and low self-esteem concurrently, which in turn was associated with reactive aggression only. This explanatory model suggests that future longitudinal intervention studies that enhance self-esteem in schizotypal adolescents may potentially reduce co-morbid reactive aggressive behaviors too.

Type: Article
Title: Peer Problems and Low Self-esteem Mediate the Suspicious and Non-suspicious Schizotypy-Reactive Aggression Relationship in Children and Adolescents
Location: United States
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1007/s10964-019-01125-9
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-019-01125-9
Language: English
Additional information: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.
Keywords: Schizotypy, Reactive aggression, Proactive aggression, Suspiciousness, Paranoia, Childhood
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Psychology and Human Development
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10081672
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