Cognitive mechanisms in cannabis-related paranoia; Initial testing and model proposal
Psychosis May 13, 2020 Katherine Newman‐Taylor, Thomas Richardson, Monica Sood et al. 18 citations
Cannabis use worsens symptoms and relapse risk in people with psychosis, and childhood sexual abuse and high schizotypy add to that risk. Three studies tested whether external attribution (blaming others) and cognitive fusion (being overwhelmed by thoughts) explain these links. In a general population sample, cannabis users had more paranoia and psychotic-type experiences, and cognitive fusion—not external attribution—explained these effects. In another general population sample, external attribution and cognitive fusion partly or fully accounted for how childhood sexual abuse and schizotypy increased paranoia and distress. In a clinical sample with psychosis, the same two processes partly or fully accounted for the effects of gender, age of first cannabis use, sexual abuse, and schizotypy. These processes may be key to cannabis-related paranoia and inform therapy.