The role of anxiety in the relationship between need for closure and paranoid tendencies

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the role of anxiety in the relationship between paranoid tendencies and dimensions of Need for closure (NFC). NFCS – a measure of Need for closure, PS – paranoia scale and STAI-Tanxiety scale were administered to 170 students of Novi Sad University. The sample was divided into group with high (N=75) and low (N=95) paranoia tendencies on the basis of mean score on PS. Principal Component Analysis of NFCS produced five Varimax dimensions: Intolerance of Unpredictability, The Need for Order and Structure, The Need for control and routine, Decisiveness and Openness/flexibility. The relation of extracted NFC dimensions, with paranoid tendencies were tested through MANOVA and MANCOVA, while controlling anxiety as covariate. The Need for order and structure was not related to either paranoia, or anxiety, and Need for Control and Routine was related only to paranoid tendencies. The Decisiveness and Openness were related to paranoid tendencies only when anxiety had been controlled. The mediating role of anxiety was proposed, and confirmed through series of Regression analysis and Sobel's test. The results were discussed in the context of current cognitive theories of paranoia and anxiety.