| dc.description.abstract | Objectives: Paranoia is most likely to emerge in adolescence. In adolescents with mental health disorders, the
disruptive effect of paranoia on social relationships could
worsen outcomes. However, little is known about clinical
presentations of paranoia at this age. We therefore explored
the development, experience, and impact of paranoia in adolescent patients.
Design: A qualitative interview design with interpretative
phenomenological analysis was used.
Method: Twelve adolescents (11–17 years) with paranoia
attending child and adolescent mental health services were
interviewed.
Results: Adolescents described a journey starting with their
awareness of paranoia beginning to a paranoid experience
of mistrust and fear of others, and, subsequently, their adjustment to paranoia in daily life. Paranoia onset was rooted
in the discovery of interpersonal threat and personal vulnerability, shaped by challenging peer interactions, becoming
aware of danger in the world, and personal adverse experiences. The paranoia experience included a struggle to trust
friends, anticipating threat with intense fear, and using defensive strategies to keep safe. Adolescents described how
the paranoia experience was confusing, negatively impacted
self-concept, held them back from teenage life, and caused
disconnection from friends. Longer-term responses to paranoia reflected a tension between reluctantly resigning to the
experience and trying to resist the impact.
Conclusions: The journey of paranoia in adolescence involves navigating multiple tensions, with young people balancing independence with vulnerability, trust with mistrust,
and the desire to socialise with a fear of danger and deception. Decisions about how to respond to paranoia are likely
to determine the next stage of their journey. | en |
