Factors Affecting Paranoid Thoughts in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the factors influencing paranoid thoughts in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Participants were 50 adults with ASD and 51 from the general population. We hypothesized that the factors influencing paranoid ideation were worry, negative schema, dissociation, avoidance behavior, and experience of bullying victimization. As hypothesized, we found that adults with ASD were more likely to have paranoid ideation. Moreover, dissociation and negative schemas regarding others influenced the frequency of paranoid ideation in adults with ASD, dissociation influenced conviction, and dissociation and worry influenced distress. Based on the results of this study, interventions for abnormal experiences, such as dissociation, may be more effective when provided alongside interventions for paranoid ideation in adults with ASD, unlike those in the general population.