Experimental Manipulation of Metacognitive Beliefs and Paranoia in a Non-clinical Population

Objective: The application of metacognitive processes in the development of paranoia has been examined, with tentative support evident. In the absence of causal conclusions, the present study examined the causal role of metacognitive beliefs in the development of paranoia by manipulating positive and negative metacognitive beliefs on paranoia frequency and distress.
Method: A non-clinical sample (n = 110) was randomly assigned to either a positive or negative manipulation experimental group intended to alter beliefs about paranoia followed by a paranoia induction task (Cyberball task).
Results: The positive beliefs induction was successful in manipulating metacognitive beliefs. Following the paranoia induction, the positive beliefs group reported an increase in paranoia frequency (F(1, 106) = 12.4, p = .001); the negative beliefs group reported a decrease in paranoia related distress (F(1, 104) = 8.21, p = .005).
Conclusions: This is the first experimental manipulation of beliefs about paranoia study to show that positive beliefs about paranoia leads to the adoption of paranoia as a deliberate strategy for managing interpersonal threat. Findings from this novel experimental paradigm support the metacognitive prediction of the Self-Referent Executive Function (S-REF) model. Further investigation is needed in manipulating negative beliefs about paranoia and its impact on paranoia-related distress.