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Modern health worries and idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields are associated with paranoid ideation

Szemerszky, Renáta and Dömötör, Zsuzsanna and Witthöft, Michael and Köteles, Ferenc (2021) Modern health worries and idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields are associated with paranoid ideation. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOSOMATIC RESEARCH, 146. pp. 1-5. ISSN 0022-3999 (print); 1879-1360 (online)

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Abstract

Objectives: Paranoid ideation is assumed to characterize worries about possible harmful effects of modern technologies (MHWs) and idiopathic environmental intolerances (IEIs), such as IEI attributed to electromagnetic fields (IEI-EMF). Empirical evidence on these associations is scarce. Methods: In a cross-sectional on-line survey, participants of a community sample (n = 700; mean age: 28.4 ± 12.0; 434 females) completed the Somatosensory Amplification Scale, the Modern Health Worries Scale, and the Paranoid Ideation scale of the Symptom Checklist 90 Revised. They were considered IEI-EMF if (1) they categorized themselves so, (2) they had experienced symptoms that they attributed to the exposure to electromagnetic fields, and (3) the condition impacted their everyday functioning. Results: Paranoid ideation was significantly positively associated with MHWs (standardized β = 0.150, p < .001) even after controlling for socio-demographic variables and somatosensory amplification tendency, an indicator of somatic symptom distress. Also, paranoid ideation explained significant variability in IEI-EMF (OR = 1.090, 95% CI: 1.006–1.180, p = .035) even after statistically controlling for socio-demographic variables and somatosensory amplification. Conclusions: Paranoid ideation was found to be associated with MHWs and IEI-EMF. This association appears independent of general somatic symptom distress in both cases. This might partly explain the temporal stability of these constructs.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Paranoia; Symptoms; Electrohypersensitivity
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion / filozófia, pszichológia, vallás > BF Psychology / lélektan
Depositing User: Renáta Szemerszky
Date Deposited: 14 Sep 2021 06:40
Last Modified: 14 Sep 2021 06:40
URI: http://real.mtak.hu/id/eprint/129379

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