Pathways from paranoid conviction to distress: exploring the mediator role of Fears of Compassion in a sample of people with psychosis

Abstract

Fears of Compassion (FOC) relate to experiencing defensive emotions and avoidance reactions when receiving and giving compassion. Three different flows have been identified: giving compassion to others, receiving compassion, and self-compassion. This study sought to explore: FOC within a sample of patients with psychosis; the associations between FOC and paranoia; and the mediator role of FOC in the relationship between paranoid conviction and distress. Seventy-two patients with psychosis (74% diagnosed with schizophrenia), mostly male (85%), with a mean age of 33.46 (SD = 9.43), were recruited and assessed with measures of paranoia (conviction and distress) and FOC. Participants presented significantly higher levels of FOC than non-clinical samples and lower levels than depressed patients. Different flows of FOC were associated with each other and with paranoia-related measures. A mediation effect of FOC from others and fears of self-compassion was found. Results support the relevance of including FOC in formulation and treatment protocols for psychosis.

Keywords:

• Fears of Compassion
• paranoia
• conviction
• distress
• psychosis

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the collaboration of the patients and clinicians from the Psychiatry and Mental Health Departments of the Baixo Vouga Hospital Centre (Aveiro, Portugal), Coimbra University and Hospital Centre (Coimbra, Portugal), Leiria-Pombal Hospital Centre (Leiria, Portugal), Magalhães Lemos Hospital (Oporto, Portugal) and Tondela-Viseu Hospital Centre (Viseu, Portugal) for which we are very grateful.