Caffeine, stress, and proneness to psychosis-like experiences: a preliminary investigation.

Jones, S.R.; Fernyhough, C.

Abstract

In diathesis–stress models of psychosis, cortisol released in response to stressors is proposed to play a role in the development of psychotic experiences. Individual differences in cortisol response to stressors are therefore likely to play a role in proneness to psychotic experiences. As caffeine has been found to increase cortisol response to a given stressor, we proposed that, when levels of stress were controlled for, caffeine intake would be related to hallucination-proneness and persecutory ideation. Caffeine intake, stress, hallucination-proneness and persecutory ideation were assessed by self-report questionnaires in a non-clinical sample (N = 219). Caffeine intake was positively related to stress levels and hallucination-proneness, but not persecutory ideation. When stress levels were controlled for, caffeine intake predicted levels of hallucination-proneness but not persecutory ideation. Implications of these findings are discussed and avenues for future research suggested.

Citation

Jones, S., & Fernyhough, C. (2009). Caffeine, stress, and proneness to psychosis-like experiences: a preliminary investigation. Personality and Individual Differences, 46(4), 562-564. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2008.10.032

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: 2009-03
• Journal: Personality and Individual Differences
• Print ISSN: 0191-8869
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 46
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 562-564
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2008.10.032
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1530458