Depression and anxiety mediate the relationship between the retrospectively measured symptoms of premenstrual disorders and negative but not positive psychotic-like experiences.

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between retrospectively measured premenstrual symptoms and subclinical forms of positive and negative psychotic symptoms (psychotic-like experiences; PLEs). It was hypothesised that subjective intensity of the symptoms of premenstrual disorders predicts PLEs frequency and that this relationship is mediated by anxiety and depression. The study sample comprised 108 non-clinical subjects. Study variables were assessed with self-report questionnaires: the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST); the Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition (BDI-II); the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI; trait sub-scale); the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE). Regression and mediation analyses were performed. The PSST scores were significantly and positively associated with psychotic-like experiences frequency. The relation was stronger for positive PLEs. Anxiety and depression partially mediated the relationship between premenstrual symptoms and negative PLEs, but not between premenstrual symptoms and positive PLEs. Although the design of the study does not allow to infer causality, it demonstrates strong, positive relationship between the symptoms of premenstrual disorders and psychotic-like experiences. The relationship between premenstrual disorders and negative PLEs seems to be partially based on a general psychopathological factor. Further longitudinal studies are needed to test whether premenstrual disturbances increase risk of psychotic symptoms.

Negative Affectivity Moderates the Relationship between Attentional Control and Focused Skin Picking.

Very little is known about the cognitive functioning of people with body-focused repetitive behaviours and the few existing studies provide mixed findings. The aim of this study was to investigate the interplay between attentional control, negative affectivity, and focused skin picking. We hypothesized that the control of attention is associated with focused style of skin picking and that this relationship is moderated by negative affectivity. The final sample consisted of 273 non-clinical subjects (79% women) aged 18 to 54 years; study variables were assessed using questionnaires. Moderation analysis was conducted, followed by a simple slope analysis, and the Johnson-Neyman technique was used to probe the interaction effect. We found that at the low level of negative affectivity, the relationship between attentional control and focused skin picking is negative, but not at the higher levels of this trait. Interestingly, when negative affectivity reaches very high intensity, the association between attentional control and skin picking becomes positive. This relationship seems to be quite complex and may depend on the way that cognitive abilities are used by the individual, as well as on the stage of cognitive processing that they are applied to. Further studies using behavioural measures of attention are needed to better understand this issue.

The Moderating Role of the FKBP5 Gene Polymorphisms in the Relationship between Attachment Style, Perceived Stress and Psychotic-like Experiences in Non-Clinical Young Adults.

Numerous studies have reported that stressful life experiences increase the risk of psychosis and psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). Common variations of the FKBP5 gene have been reported to impact the risk of psychosis by moderating the effects of environmental exposures. Moreover, anxious and avoidant attachment styles have been shown to increase both the level of perceived stress and the risk for psychosis development. In the present cross-sectional study, we aimed to investigate whether variants of the FKBP5 gene moderate the effects of attachment styles and the level of perceived stress on the development of PLEs. A total of 535 non-clinical undergraduates were genotyped for six FKBP5 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs3800373, rs9470080, rs4713902, rs737054, rs1360780 and rs9296158). The Psychosis Attachment Measure (PAM), the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) and the Prodromal Questionnaire 16 (PQ-16) were administered to assess attachment styles, the level of perceived stress and PLEs, respectively. Anxious attachment style, lower levels of perceived self-efficacy and higher levels of perceived helplessness were associated with a significantly higher number of PLEs. The main effects of attachment style on the severity of PLEs were significant in models testing for the associations with perceived self-efficacy and three FKBP5 SNPs (rs1360780, rs9296158 and rs9470080). The main effect of rs38003733 on the number of PLEs was observed, with GG homozygotes reporting a significantly higher number of PLEs in comparison to T allele carriers. In individuals with dominant anxious attachment style, there was a significant effect of the interaction between the FKBP5 rs4713902 SNP and self-efficacy on the severity of PLEs. Among rs4713902 TT homozygotes, a low level of perceived self-efficacy was associated with higher severity of PLEs. In subjects with non-dominant anxious attachment, a low level of perceived self-efficacy was associated with a higher number of PLEs, regardless of the genotype. Our results indicate that the FKBP5 gene might moderate the relationship between attachment, perceived stress and PLEs.

Validation and Psychometric Properties of the Polish Version of the Skin Picking Scale-Revised.

The Skin Picking Scale-Revised (SPS-R) is an 8-item self-report measure of skin picking behaviors. It includes two subscales related to skin picking symptom severity and picking-related impairments. The study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Polish version of the SPS-R in a sample of adults reporting skin picking. The sample of 764 participants was recruited from the general population through an online survey. Among them, 159 meet the criteria of pathological skin picking applied in the original SPS-R validation study, and 57 endorsed all of the DSM-5 criteria for excoriation disorder. The SPS-R was back-translated into Polish. Factor structure, reliability, convergent and divergent validity, and diagnostic accuracy were assessed. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed a two-factor structure of the scale. High internal consistency and convergent and divergent validity were confirmed for the total score as well as for the subscales. High prognostic ability of the SPS-R total score was also demonstrated using ROC analysis: ≥5 was accepted as an optimal cut-off point for distinguishing skin picking sufferers from healthy controls. The Polish version of the SPS-R shows good psychometric properties and appears to be a reliable measure of skin picking symptoms and picking-related impairment.

Subjective experience, cognitive functioning and trauma level of patients undergoing awake craniotomy due to brain tumor - Preliminary study.

BACKUP AND OBJECTIVE: Awake craniotomy (AC) for brain tumors, when the patient is conscious during the operation, allows to reduce the risk of motor disability and aphasia, however, it may be a source of extreme stress. The aim of our study was to examine the patients' subjective experience of the surgery including the level of psychological trauma and cognitive functioning. METHOD: Eighteen patients operated due to brain tumor were enrolled in this study. The Essener Trauma-Inventory Questionnaire and the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE III) were administrated. The patients' experience with awake craniotomy was evaluated with a qualitative descriptive survey. RESULTS: All patients remembered the intraoperative neuropsychological examination and several sensations like: drilling, cold, head clamp fixation or having eyes covered. In most of the patients the postoperative psychological trauma experience did not reach the clinical level. The ACE III postoperative scores revealed partial cognitive deficits with the lowest scores in memory and word fluency domains. Slight amnestic aphasia was observed postoperatively only in two patients. CONCLUSIONS: Awake craniotomy for resection of brain tumors is well-tolerated by patients and does not cause significant psychological trauma. Nonetheless, anxiety about the procedure warrants further study and individualized neuropsychological care is needed for the emotional preparation of the patient.

Is Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination III Sensitive Enough to Detect Cognitive Dysfunctions in Patients with Focal Cerebellar Lesions?

OBJECTIVE: The main aim of the study was to evaluate whether the available brief test of mental functions Addenbrooke's cognitive examination III (ACE III) detects cognitive impairment in patients with cerebellar damage. The second goal was to show the ACE III cognitive impairment profile of patients with focal cerebellar lesions. METHOD: The study sample consisted of 31 patients with focal cerebellar lesions, 78 patients with supratentorial brain damage, and 31 subjects after spine surgery or with spine degeneration considered as control group, free of organic brain damage. The ACE III was used. RESULTS: Patients with cerebellar damage obtained significantly lower results in the ACE III total score and in several subscales: attention, fluency, language, and visuospatial domains than healthy controls without brain damage. With the cut-off level of 89 points, the ACE III was characterized by the sensitivity of 71%, specificity of 72%, and accuracy of 72%. The cerebellar cognitive impairment profile was found to be "frontal-like" and similar to that observed in patients with anterior supratentorial brain damage, with decreased ability to retrieve previously learned material and its preserved recognition, impaired word fluency, and executive dysfunction. The results are consistent with cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: The ACE III can be used as a sensitive screening tool to detect cognitive impairments in patients with cerebellar damage.

Cerebellar Functional Lateralization From the Perspective of Clinical Neuropsychology.

Objective: The cerebellar functional laterality, with its right hemisphere predominantly involved in verbal performance and the left one engaged in visuospatial processes, has strong empirical support. However, the clinical observation and single research results show that the damage to the right cerebellar hemisphere may cause extralinguistic and more global cognitive decline. The aim of our research was to assess the pattern of cognitive functioning, depending on the cerebellar lesion side, with particular emphasis on the damage to the right cerebellar hemisphere. Method: The study sample consisted of 31 patients with focal cerebellar lesions and 31 controls, free of organic brain damage. The Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination ACE III and the Trail Making Test TMT were used to assess patients' cognitive functioning. Results: Left-sided cerebellar lesion patients scored lower than controls in attention and visuospatial domain, but not in language, fluency, and memory functions. Participants with right-sided cerebellar lesion demonstrated a general deficit of cognitive functioning, with impairments not only in language and verbal fluency subscales but also in all ACE III domains, including memory, attention, and visuospatial functions. The TMT results proved that cerebellar damage is associated with executive function impairment, regardless of the lesion side. Conclusion: The cognitive profiles of patients with cerebellum lesions differ with regard to the lesion side. Left-sided cerebellar lesions are associated with selective visuospatial and attention impairments, whereas the right-sided ones may result in a more global cognitive decline, which is likely secondary to language deficiencies, associated with this lateral cerebellar injury.

Dissociative Experiences Mediate the Relationship Between Traumatic Life Events and Types of Skin Picking. Findings From Non-clinical Sample.

Aim: Skin-picking (excoriation) disorder is considered as a form of maladaptive coping methods used by individuals who have difficulties in applying more adaptive strategies. Skin-picking development has been suggested to be preceded by traumatic life events. Dissociative symptoms have been reported as experienced by skin-picking sufferers during picking episodes. The purpose of the study was to examine whether the link between trauma and automatic type of skin-picking is mediated by the frequency of dissociative experiences, and whether the COVID-19 pandemic conditions have changed this relationship in any way. Methods: The study sample consisted of 594 adults (76% women) aged from 18 to 60. Traumatic life events, dissociative experiences, and types of skin-picking (focused vs. automatic) were assessed with self-report questionnaires. Mediation analyses and multigroup path analyses were carried out. Results: Dissociative experiences partially mediated the link between traumatic events and both types of skin-picking. The model was robust considering the conditions in which survey was filled out (pre-pandemic vs. pandemic). Conclusions: Traumatic life events and dissociative experiences are associated with both automatic and focused skin-picking regardless of pandemic conditions. Further studies are needed to understand mechanisms underlying the relationship between dissociation and skin-picking styles.

The Impact of the FKBP5 Gene Polymorphisms on the Relationship between Traumatic Life Events and Psychotic-Like Experiences in Non-Clinical Adults.

Common variations of the FKBP5 gene are implicated in psychotic disorders, by modulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis reactivity to stress. It has been demonstrated that some of them might moderate the effects of childhood trauma on psychosis proneness. However, these associations have not been investigated with respect to traumatic life events (TLEs). Therefore, we aimed to explore whether the FKBP5 polymorphisms moderate the effects of TLEs on the level of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). A total of 535 non-clinical adults were approached for participation, and genotyping of six FKBP5 polymorphisms (rs3800373, rs9470080, rs4713902, rs737054, rs1360780 and rs9296158) was performed. The Prodromal Questionnaire-16 (PQ-16) and the Traumatic Events Checklist (TEC) were administered to assess PLEs and TLEs, respectively. Among the rs1360780 CC homozygotes, a history of physical abuse was associated with significantly higher PQ-16 scores. This difference was not significant in the rs1360780 T allele carriers. Similarly, a history of physical abuse was associated with significantly higher PQ-16 scores in the rs9296158 GG homozygotes but not in the rs9296158 A allele carriers. Finally, emotional neglect was related to significantly higher PQ-16 scores in the rs737054 T allele carriers but not in the rs737054 CC homozygotes. The present study indicates that variation in the FKBP5 gene might moderate the effects of lifetime traumatic events on psychosis proneness.

Cognitive reappraisal and types of skin picking - A longitudinal study with pre-pandemic and COVID-19 pandemic data.

During the COVID-19 pandemic many individuals are exposed to stress of unknown duration, and due to prolonged stay-at-home period they are cut off from access to many effective coping strategies. This situation may exaggerate the use of maladaptive coping methods that are triggered by stress and boredom, and may be adopted in isolation, such as pathological skin picking. The aim of our study was to investigate the change in skin picking behaviours during the pandemic in comparison with the time prior to the pandemic onset. We also tested whether applying cognitive reappraisal as an coping strategy may affect skin picking. Self-report questionnaires measuring: automatic and focused skin picking, cognitive reappraisal, the experience of stress and loneliness were administered online to a non-clinical sample three times: 1) before the pandemic, 2) during mandatory stay at home; 3) at the time when most strict restrictions were lifted. Linear mixed-effects models were used to analyse the data. Cognitive reappraisal was found to be negatively associated with focused skin-picking regardless of the time of the measurement. In case of automatic skin picking, the link with cognitive reappraisal was significant only at the baseline and disappeared during the pandemic.

Effects of traumatic life events, cognitive biases and variation in dopaminergic genes on psychosis proneness.

AIMS: Recent studies have provided evidence that interactions between variation in dopaminergic genes and stressful experiences might impact risk of psychosis. However, it remains unknown whether these interactions impact the development of subclinical symptoms, including psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). In this study, we aimed to test the effects of interactions between variation in dopaminergic genes and traumatic life events (TLEs) on a severity of PLEs. METHODS: We assessed TLEs, cognitive biases, PLEs as well as the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) rs4680 and the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) rs6277 gene polymorphisms in 445 university students at three urban areas. RESULTS: There was a significant effect of the interaction between the COMT rs4680 and a history of any type of TLEs on a severity of PLEs. Among the COMT rs4680 Met allele carriers, a severity of PLEs was higher in individuals with a history of any type of TLEs. Further stratification of the sample revealed that this effect appears only in the group of participants with a high level of cognitive biases. The DRD2 rs6277 C allele was independently associated with a higher level of PLEs. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that decreased dopamine catabolism related to the COMT gene polymorphism might increase psychosis proneness in individuals with a history of TLEs and high levels of cognitive biases. Variation in the DRD2 gene might exert independent effects on psychosis proneness. These findings imply that there are various levels of complexity in the models of interactions between genetic and environmental factors explaining the mechanisms underlying psychosis proneness.

Effects of interactions between variation in dopaminergic genes, traumatic life events, and anomalous self-experiences on psychosis proneness: Results from a cross-sectional study in a nonclinical sample.

BACKGROUND: There is a growing number of studies showing interactions between genetic polymorphisms associated with dopaminergic neurotransmission and traumatic life events (TLEs) on a risk of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). Anomalous self-experiences (ASEs) have been associated both with TLEs as well as with PLEs. However, it remains unknown what is the role of ASEs in the complexity of gene-environment interactions on the emergence of PLEs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We included 445 young adults-university students from three big cities in Poland. We used the Traumatic Events Checklist to assess TLEs, the Inventory of Psychotic-Like anomalous self-experiences in order to measure ASEs, and the Prodromal Questionnaire (PQ16) to record the level of PLEs. The following gene polymorphisms, related to dopaminergic neurotransmission, were determined: the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) rs4680 polymorphism, the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) rs6277 polymorphism, and the dopamine transporter 1 (DAT1) rs28363170 polymorphism. RESULTS: There was a significant effect of the interaction between the DAT1 polymorphism, a severity of ASEs, and a history of TLEs on the level of PLEs. Among the DAT1 10R/10R homozygotes with low level of ASEs, a severity of PLEs was significantly higher in individuals with a history of any TLEs. Higher scores of the PQ16 were associated with a greater severity of ASEs both in the DAT1 9R allele carriers and the DAT1 10R/10R homozygotes. CONCLUSION: Our findings imply that genetic liability related to aberrant dopamine transport might impact the association between TLEs and PLEs in subjects with high levels of ASEs.

The Mediating Role of Stress in the Relationship Between Attention to Threat Bias and Psychotic-Like Experiences Depends on Coping Strategies.

AIM: Recent studies have provided evidence that enhanced stress level is associated with the increase of psychotic symptoms in both clinical and non-clinical populations. It has also been demonstrated that cognitive biases contribute to psychotic experiences. However, it remains unclear whether the effect of cognitive biases and perceived stress on psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) is influenced by coping methods. In the present study we examined whether the relationship linking cognitive biases with PLEs is mediated by the level of stress and whether particular coping methods modify the relationship between stress and PLEs. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 290 non-clinical subjects; study variables were assessed by questionnaires. Moderated mediation analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Perceived stress was found to serve as a partial mediator in the relationship linking attention to threat (ATB) and external attribution biases (ETB) with psychotic-like experiences. Also, moderated mediation analysis revealed that the indirect effect of attention to threat bias on positive and depressive symptoms of psychotic-like experiences via perceived stress was stronger at higher levels of distraction seeking coping. Moreover, the indirect effect of ATB on depressive symptoms was moderated by task-oriented coping and emotion-oriented coping. Task-oriented coping also moderated the indirect effect of ETB on depression. CONCLUSION: The findings imply that both perceived stress and coping styles are important factors affecting the association between cognitive biases and psychotic-like experiences.

A combination of self-disturbances and psychotic-like experiences. A cluster analysis study on a non-clinical sample in Poland.

We aimed to perform a cluster analysis to investigate the group structure of a combination of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) and self-disturbances in a non-clinical sample. Non-clinical adults (n = 677) were assessed with the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE), the Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases Scale (DACOBS) and the Inventory of Psychotic-Like Anomalous Self-Experiences (IPASE). Cluster analysis was conducted based on the positive and negative dimension of CAPE and a total score of IPASE. Four distinct groups were revealed by the cluster analysis. The High Profile group had the highest means, and the Low Profile had the lowest scores of positive and negative subscales of the CAPE and IPASE. The Positive Profile group had a significantly higher level of self-disturbances (in 'Cognition', 'Consciousnesses and 'Somatization' dimensions) from participants with the 'Negative Profile'. The High Profile group had more cognitive biases (i.e., inadequate cognitive inference about internal and external events) related to psychosis as assessed with DACOBS, had the highest means on each IPASE subscale and had a higher level of emotional distress. A combination of high level of PLEs and self-disturbances may capture the highest risk of psychosis in the general population associated with cognitive biases characteristic for psychosis.

The relationship between emotion regulation strategies, personality traits and skin picking behaviours in a non-clinical sample of Polish adults.

Although skin-picking is a relatively common behaviour, data concerning factors which underlie skin-picking severity and functional impairment caused by picking are still limited. In the present study we examined whether some emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) and personality features influence skin-picking in a university sample; the moderating role of personality traits in the relationship between emotion regulation strategies and skin-picking was also considered. A total sample of 252 adults (mean age 24.03; SD = 5.66) completed the Skin-Picking Scale-Revised, Temperament and Character Inventory and Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. The linear regression analyses indicated that the use of cognitive reappraisal as emotion regulation strategy decrease skin-picking severity. Reduced novelty seeking and reduced self-directedness were identified as significant predictors of skin-picking severity, whereas decreased self-directedness and elevated cooperativeness predicted functional impairment caused by skin-picking. Further moderation analysis revealed that cognitive reappraisal decreases skin-picking severity only among individuals with low and moderate novelty seeking, however, not among those with high novelty seeking. These results indicate that emotion regulation strategies and specific personality traits are important factors associated with skin-picking behaviours in a university sample. Further research is needed to establish the link between emotion regulation strategies and personality traits in clinical sample.

The moderating role of cognitive biases on the relationship between negative affective states and psychotic-like experiences in non-clinical adults.

Negative emotions and cognitive biases are important factors underlying psychotic symptoms and psychotic-like experiences (PLEs); however, it is not clear whether these factors interact when they influence psychotic phenomena. The aim of our study was to investigate whether psychosis-related cognitive biases moderate the relationship between negative affective states, i.e. anxiety and depression, and psychotic-like experiences. The study sample contains 251 participants who have never been diagnosed with psychiatric disorders. Anxiety, depression, cognitive biases, and psychotic-like experiences were assessed with self-report questionnaires. A moderation analysis was performed to examine the relationship between the study variables. The analyses revealed that the link between anxiety and positive PLEs is moderated by External Attribution bias, whereas the relationship between depression and positive PLEs is moderated by Attention to Threat bias. Attributional bias was also found to moderate the association between depression and negative subclinical symptoms; Jumping to Conclusions bias served as a moderator in the link between anxiety and depression and negative PLEs. Further studies in clinical samples are required to verify the moderating role of individual cognitive biases on the relationship between negative emotional states and full-blown psychotic symptoms.

The role of expressive suppression in hallucinatory-like and delusion-like experiences. Findings in a non-clinical sample.

INTRODUCTION: Previous works concerning emotion regulation in psychosis highlighted the relationship between expressive suppression and negative psychotic symptoms, as well as between expressive suppression and auditory hallucinations. However, a direct association between suppression and delusions has not been observed. In the study we examined whether expressive suppression is associated with psychotic-like experiences and whether it may influence delusion-like experiences by changing the impact of cognitive biases on delusional beliefs. METHODS: Two hundred and twenty-one healthy individuals never diagnosed with psychiatric disorders completed self-report questionnaires measuring: delusion-like experiences, hallucinatory-like experiences, cognitive biases and expressive suppression. Regression and moderation analyses were performed. RESULTS: Regression analyses revealed that the overall level of suppression predicts hallucinatory-like experiences, but not delusion-like experiences. Suppression of anxiety and suppression of sadness were significant predictors of hallucinatory-like experiences, whereas suppression of anxiety predicted delusion-like experiences. A moderation analysis indicated that both the overall level of suppression and suppression of sadness moderate the relationship between belief inflexibility and delusion-like experiences in such a way that belief inflexibility increases delusion-like experiences only among individuals reporting a low level of suppression. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings confirmed that expressive suppression has a direct impact on hallucinatory-like experiences and suggest that the use of suppression may influence delusion-like experiences by moderating the impact of belief inflexibility on delusional thinking.

Interactions Between Variation in Candidate Genes and Environmental Factors in the Etiology of Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder: a Systematic Review.

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (BD) are complex and multidimensional disorders with high heritability rates. The contribution of genetic factors to the etiology of these disorders is increasingly being recognized as the action of multiple risk variants with small effect sizes, which might explain only a minor part of susceptibility. On the other site, numerous environmental factors have been found to play an important role in their causality. Therefore, in recent years, several studies focused on gene × environment interactions that are believed to bridge the gap between genetic underpinnings and environmental insults. In this article, we performed a systematic review of studies investigating gene × environment interactions in BD and schizophrenia spectrum phenotypes. In the majority of studies from this field, interacting effects of variation in genes encoding catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and FK506-binding protein 5 (FKBP5) have been explored. Almost consistently, these studies revealed that polymorphisms in COMT, BDNF, and FKBP5 genes might interact with early life stress and cannabis abuse or dependence, influencing various outcomes of schizophrenia spectrum disorders and BD. Other interactions still require further replication in larger clinical and non-clinical samples. In addition, future studies should address the direction of causality and potential mechanisms of the relationship between gene × environment interactions and various categories of outcomes in schizophrenia and BD.

The role of self-disturbances and cognitive biases in the relationship between traumatic life events and psychosis proneness in a non-clinical sample.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic life events have been established as an environmental risk factor for psychosis. However, the exact mechanisms by which traumatic life events increase risk for psychosis are unknown. In the present study we tested an integrative model of traumatic life events being related to psychosis proneness via self-disturbances and cognitive biases. METHODS: The sample consisted of 653 healthy people. Traumatic life events, self-disturbances, cognitive biases and psychosis proneness were assessed with self-report questionnaires. The direct and an indirect model of the relationship between traumatic life events and psychosis proneness were compared using path analyses with structural equation modelling in a cross-sectional study. RESULTS: There was a significant direct effect of traumatic life events on psychosis proneness. However, path analysis suggested better fit of the indirect model including paths from trauma to psychosis proneness via cognitive biases and self-disturbances. There were significant paths from traumatic life events to cognitive biases and self-disorders. Self-disorders significantly predicted cognitive biases. Finally, cognitive biases and self-disorders significantly predicted psychosis proneness. Exclusion of any paths, apart from direct path in the model, significantly reduced model fitness. DISCUSSION: The results revealed that a direct relationship between trauma and psychosis proneness became insignificant when taking into account the influence of self-disorders and cognitive biases. This suggests that the interactions between disrupted self-experience, impaired information processing and traumatic life events are of importance in psychosis proneness. This model should be further tested in a longitudinal study on a clinical sample.