Ontological insecurity II: Relationship to attachment, childhood trauma, and subclinical psychotic-like experiences.

Objectives: To examine ontological insecurity as a predictor of positive psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) relative to concepts of childhood trauma, parental bonding, and adult attachment style.

Methods: A nonclinical sample (N = 298) completed the Ontological Insecurity Scale (OIS-34), a new measure of ontological insecurity, along with measures of the above concepts.

Results: The OIS-34 accounted for a significantly greater proportion of unique variance in positive PLEs than any other theoretical variable. Anxious and avoidant adult attachment were also strongly associated with positive PLEs, but these relationships were mediated by the OIS-34, ceasing to be significant once this latter variable entered the hierarchical regression equation.

Conclusions: The results are consistent with R. D. Laing's theory that ontological insecurity plays a significant role in psychosis. Moreover, the results suggest that this concept may mediate the established relationship between anxious/avoidant adult attachment and positive PLEs. Implications for psychological approaches to clinical psychosis are discussed.