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Keep at bay! – Abnormal personal space regulation as marker of paranoia in schizophrenia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2020

G. Schoretsanitis ,
A. Kutynia ,
K. Stegmayer ,
W. Strik  and
S. Walther
G. Schoretsanitis
Affiliation:
Center of translational research, university hospital of psychiatry, university of Bern 111, Bolligenstrasse Bern 60, 3000, Switzerland
A. Kutynia
Affiliation:
Center of translational research, university hospital of psychiatry, university of Bern 111, Bolligenstrasse Bern 60, 3000, Switzerland
K. Stegmayer
Affiliation:
Center of translational research, university hospital of psychiatry, university of Bern 111, Bolligenstrasse Bern 60, 3000, Switzerland
W. Strik
Affiliation:
Center of translational research, university hospital of psychiatry, university of Bern 111, Bolligenstrasse Bern 60, 3000, Switzerland
S. Walther*
Affiliation:
Center of translational research, university hospital of psychiatry, university of Bern 111, Bolligenstrasse Bern 60, 3000, Switzerland
*
*Corresponding author.Tel.: +41 31 930 9483; fax: +41 31 930 9958. E-mail address:walther@puk.unibe.ch
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Abstract

Background

During threat, interpersonal distance is deliberately increased. Personal space regulation is related to amygdala function and altered in schizophrenia, but it remains unknown whether it is particularly associated with paranoid threat.

Methods

We compared performance in two tests on personal space between 64 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and 24 matched controls. Patients were stratified in those with paranoid threat, neutral affect or paranoid experience of power. In the stop-distance paradigm, participants indicated the minimum tolerable interpersonal distance. In the fixed-distance paradigm, they indicated the level of comfort at fixed interpersonal distances.

Results

Paranoid threat increased interpersonal distance two-fold in the stop-distance paradigm, and reduced comfort ratings in the fixed-distance paradigm. In contrast, patients experiencing paranoid power had high comfort ratings at any distance. Patients with neutral affect did not differ from controls in the stop-distance paradigm. Differences between groups remained when controlling for gender and positive symptom severity. Among schizophrenia patients, the stop-distance paradigm detected paranoid threat with 93% sensitivity and 83% specificity.

Conclusions

Personal space regulation is not generally altered in schizophrenia. However, state paranoid experience has distinct contributions to personal space regulation. Subjects experiencing current paranoid threat share increased safety-seeking behavior.

Keywords

Paranoid threatDelusionInterpersonal distanceGrandiosity
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 31 , January 2016 , pp. 1 - 7
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2015

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