Author Identifier (ORCID)
Joseph M. Barnby: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6002-1362
Abstract
Adolescent social adversity (discrimination, bullying) enhances paranoia—the perception others want to harm or upset you. In this preregistered study (AsPredicted No. 154322), we tested the impact of prior social adversity and current social exclusion on paranoia, self/other beliefs, and latent social-learning processes in UK mid-adolescents (15-17 years, N = 502). In an experimental design, participants completed baseline social-adversity measures before random allocation to a social inclusion/exclusion manipulation (Cyberball), after which the Intentions Game assessed cognitive flexibility. We tested (a) whether adversity and exclusion interact to increase paranoia (b) via (mediated) negative self/other beliefs and (c) if this was moderated by cognitive flexibility. Social exclusion increased paranoia, which was intensified by prior social adversity and restricted learning rate in the Intentions Game. Negative self- and other beliefs mediated the link from social adversity to paranoia, but cognitive flexibility did not moderate. Three distinct discrimination-to-paranoia routes emerged. Findings highlight possible explanatory and intervention targets for reducing adolescent paranoia.
Keywords
Adolescence, cognitive flexibility, exclusion, open data, paranoia, preregistration, social adversity, social learning
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
1-1-2026
Publication Title
Clinical Psychological Science
Publisher
Sage
School
Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (CAIML)
Funders
This study was funded by British Academy and Leverhulme Small Grant awarded to J. Kingston (principal investigator) and L. Ellett and J. M. Barnby (coinvestigators): SRG23\231240.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Comments
Kingston, J. L., Ellett, L., Richards, L., Burgess, H., & Barnby, J. M. (2026). Social threat, negative beliefs, and altered social learning underpin paranoia in adolescents. Clinical Psychological Science. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/21677026261429948