Delusional ideation and self-esteem in individuals with psychotic disorders.

The present study is an examination of the association of self-esteem with various themes of delusional thinking for individuals with psychotic disorders. Individuals with psychotic disorders (N = 30) completed a measure of delusional ideation and a measure of severity of delusions and also a measure of self-esteem. Results indicated individuals with higher levels of delusional thinking in the domains of persecution, thought disturbances, catastrophic ideation/thought broadcast, and negative self had lower self-esteem (p < 0.05). The 2 measures of delusional ideation or severity were not related to one another, yet they yielded similar relationships in terms of self-esteem, indicating both assessments may be useful and unique. Results are discussed in relation to previous research investigating self-esteem and delusions and delusional ideation.