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FEC is a validated self-report measure comprising one item that measures flow experience frequency (FEC frequency score range 1 – 7) and 10 items that measure the intensity of flow experience (FEC score range 10 – 70). Items are answered on a 7-point Likert scale (1 - 7). The Flow Experience Checklist (FEC) ( 18) evaluates the frequency, degree, and duration of flow experience in daily life. The reliability and validity of this scale has been previously established ( 17). Higher subscores indicate greater frequency of paranoid ideation, stronger conviction, and greater associated distress. The items are answered on a 5-point Likert scale (1 - 5), with a score range of 9 – 45. The JPC is a validated self-report measure comprising nine items and yielding three subscales: frequency, conviction, and distress. The Japanese-version Paranoia Checklist (JPC) ( 16, 17) evaluates paranoid ideation in healthy individuals. The reliability and validity of this scale has been previously established ( 15). Higher scores indicate more schizotypal personality characteristics. The scale comprises 37 items with yes or no responses, with a score range of 0 – 37. The Japanese version of the Oxford Schizotypal Personality Scale (STA) ( 15) was used to evaluate the character tendency of healthy individuals who experienced symptoms similar to the positive symptoms of schizophrenia. This study was approved by the institutional review board of Kibi international university, Okayama, Japan.ģ.2. The study was conducted in compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki all participants were assured of anonymity, and all provided written informed consent. The cohort consisted of a convenience sample of young university undergraduates. In total, 74 undergraduates (45 males, 29 females) were recruited from the Department of Occupational Therapy at Kibi international university, Japan. This was a cross-sectional study of healthy Japanese volunteers. Greater knowledge of these interactions could facilitate the development of treatments for both subclinical and mentally ill populations.ģ. The objective of this study was to investigate the associations of flow experience (intensity, duration, and frequency) with schizotypal personality traits and paranoid ideation in a subclinical population. We examined the effects of subclinical schizotypal personality and paranoid ideation on flow experience quality, duration, and frequency, by psychometric testing and correlation analyses. The relationship between health status and flow experience has been extensively studied, but few studies have evaluated the relationships among schizotypal personality, paranoid ideation, and flow experience. Previous studies suggested that flow experience is positively associated with health-related quality of life, decreased subjective stress, a sense of coherence, and positive psychological tendencies ( 9- 14). Flow has been defined as “the holistic sensation that people feel when they act with total involvement” ( 8). Nevertheless, further evidence is necessary to identify methods to promote and preserve the health of individuals with schizotypal personality and to control paranoid ideation among subclinical populations.įlow experience is a psychological construct closely related to a sense of purpose in life, vitality, and the ability to overcome hardship it is a state diametrically opposite to depression and lethargy ( 7). Moreover, college students with schizotypal personality tend to experience higher levels of paranoid ideation and general health problems ( 6). For instance, in one study, peer victimization predisposed individuals to paranoid ideation and heightened schizotypal personality among 3,508 children and adolescents ( 5). Thus, schizotypal personality traits and paranoid ideation are not unique to clinical populations.Įnvironmental stressors can exacerbate these traits in vulnerable individuals. Paranoia is a primary symptom of schizophrenia, but paranoid ideation is also observed in healthy individuals ( 3) at rates as high as 47% within a subclinical population ( 4). The continuity and commonality of schizophrenia with schizotypal personality is evidenced by comparable resting brain patterns on near-infrared spectroscopy ( 2), and similar pathogenic mechanisms are proposed that suggest a common underlying personality malfunction. BackgroundĪn individual with a schizotypal personality experiences a mental state with some similarities to schizophrenia ( 1). Mental Health Schizotypal Personality Paranoia 1. We suggest that these intense flow experiences serve as a distraction from psychological abnormalities, such as paranoid ideation. Schizotypal personality traits appear to enhance the quality of flow experiences, but not their frequency or duration.