Involuntary mental time travel in individuals with schizotypal personality features

Abstract

Involuntary mental time travel (MTT) refers to the phenomenon of mentally reliving past experiences or pre-living possible future events in an involuntary form. Few studies have explored involuntary MTT in individuals with schizotypal personality features. The present study aimed to first explore the psychometric properties of the Involuntary Autobiographic Memory Inventory (IAMI) in a Chinese sample (Study 1), and then to explore whether individuals with schizotypal personality features experience involuntary MTT more frequently than individuals without schizotypal features. Moreover, the study explored whether the aberrant frequency of involuntary MTT is correlated with positive schizotypal features (Study 2). The results showed that the IAMI had good structural validity and reliability in a Chinese sample. Individuals with schizotypal traits reported a significantly higher frequency, less positive emotion, and stronger emotional intensity for both involuntary memories and future thoughts compared with individuals without schizotypal features. Further analyses in individuals with schizotypal personality features showed that the frequencies of both involuntary memories and future thoughts were significantly correlated with positive schizotypal traits. These results have potential theoretical and clinical implications for a comprehensive understanding of involuntary MTT among individuals with schizotypal personality features.

The relationship between schizotypal traits and satisfaction with life among Chinese young adults: The mediating effect of trait anxiety and mind wandering

“…Recent studies in individuals with high schizotypal traits also showed that they were more likely to engage in mind wandering (Kane et al, 2016; Yamaoka & Yukawa, 2020). In addition, positive schizotypal traits were positively associated with frequency of involuntary mental time travel, which shares similarities with mind wandering; for example, both were task‐unrelated thoughts (T. Chen et al, 2020). Therefore, we hypothesized that mind wandering would play a mediating role in the relationship between schizotypal traits and life satisfaction.…”

“…Schizotypal traits exist widely in healthy people, high-risk groups of schizophrenia, and patients with schizophrenia with different severity (Nelson et al, 2013;Wang et al, 2012). Schizotypal traits have received a considerable amount of research attention in recent years (T. Chen et al, 2020;Cohen et al, 2018;Debbané & Mohr, 2015;Muller et al, 2021;R. Zhang et al, 2019).…”

“…Schizotypal traits exist widely in healthy people, high‐risk groups of schizophrenia, and patients with schizophrenia with different severity (Nelson et al, 2013; Wang et al, 2012). Schizotypal traits have received a considerable amount of research attention in recent years (T. Chen et al, 2020; Cohen et al, 2018; Debbané & Mohr, 2015; Muller et al, 2021; R. Zhang et al, 2019). Studying schizotypal traits helps to elucidate our understanding of the early course of schizophrenia, and is of great significance for early detection and intervention of psychosis.…”

Mental time travel for self and others in individuals with a high level of schizotypy

“…The above‐mentioned studies are related to voluntary MTT (i.e., participants were required to recall or imagine events related to cues), but several studies have also examined involuntary MTT (i.e., memories of personal events or imagined future events that come to mind spontaneously) along the SCZ spectrum. For example, individuals with high psychotic‐like experiences or high levels of schizotypy reported a higher frequency of involuntary MTT (Allé et al, 2019; Chen et al, 2020; Jones & Steel, 2012), a higher vividness and sense of reliving (Allé et al, 2019; Marks et al, 2012), and a more negative mood (Allé et al, 2019; Chen et al, 2020) than controls. In view of the inconsistent findings, more studies are needed to clarify MTT performance in individuals with a high level of schizotypy.…”