The Relationship Between Fantasy Proneness and Schizotypy in Adolescents

Abstract

Previous research has found substantial relationships between fantasy proneness and schizotypy in adulthood. The aim of the present study is to examine the connections between these constructs in an adolescent sample. A sample of 511 adolescents filled out a measure of fantasy proneness and a measure of psychotic-like phenomena. The factorial pattern for schizotypal traits in adolescents replicate the earlier documented three-factor structure. Also, the full range of schizotypal features was found to be related to imaginative tendencies tapped by fantasy proneness. Finally, joint analysis of fantasy and schizotypy showed that, in adolescents, fantasy converges with magical ideation and the cognitive-perceptual dimension of schizotypy, but diverges from the interpersonal aspects of schizotypy.

Subtle deficits of cognitive theory of mind in unaffected first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients

“…Our results are consistent with the view that 'fantasy' converges with delusionproneness, cognitive-perceptual aberrations and disorganized features [73]. Pronounced 'fantasy' may indicate some vulnerability for schizophrenia [74], but might represent a reasoning style like cognitive slippage or perceptual immersion that is normally distributed in the population and pronounced in at-risk populations, and but has to interact with attributional biases in order to result in psychosis [75].…”

Fantasy proneness as a confounder of verbal lie detection tools

“…The CEQ (Cronbach's alpha = 0.79; Merckelbach et al, 2001a;Sánchez-Bernardos & Avia, 2004, 2006) is a self-report measure of fantasy proneness. It comprises 25 yes-no items that were derived from extensive case descriptions of fantasy proneness provided by Wilson and Barber (1983).…”

Cluster A Personality Disorders: Schizotypal, Schizoid and Paranoid Personality Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence

“…For example, adolescents who have report psychotic-like experiences are also more likely to manifest difficulty concentrating, irritability, hypersensitivity to noise, sleep disturbances, suicidal ideation and attempts, and heightened anxiety (Nishida et al 2008). Another recent investigation examined the relation of fantasy proneness, a common tendency in youth, with schizotypal symptom ratings (Sanchez-Bernardos and Avia 2006). The authors found that fantasy proneness correlated with the positive features of schizotypy, namely the magical ideation and the cognitive-perceptual dimensions, but not with the interpersonal symptoms, such as social anxiety.…”