Examining positive schizotypy's relationship with openness facets, maladaptive openness, and other maladaptive traits

Abstract

[EMBARGOED UNTIL 12/1/2024] Positive schizotypy is a trait reflecting increased risk for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders and includes symptoms such as magical beliefs and unusual perceptual experiences. The normative personality trait of openness to experience (OE) is associated with increased genetic risk for schizophrenia, and popular models of personality hypothesize that positive schizotypy should be related to increased OE. However, much previous research has failed to identify large associations between positive schizotypy and OE. The current research will examine whether associations between positive schizotypy and OE might be higher (a) depending on the aspect of positive schizotypy being examined, (b) for specific facets of OE (e.g., creative imagination), and (c) when using measures that more effectively assess the maladaptively high range of OE (e.g., Experiential Permeability Index). Additionally, I will use Item Response Theory (IRT) analysis and exploratory item-level factor analysis to test if any aspects of positive schizotypy measures the same latent construct as any facets of OE or if positive schizotypy can be considered to constitute a distinct facet of OE. For scales found to measure the same latent construct, I will examine which scale was more informative at higher levels of this trait.