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Larger Personal Space Could Help Identify Paranoia in Schizophrenia, Study Finds


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A new study has found that people with schizophrenia who experience paranoia tend to prefer significantly more personal space than others, and this physical cue could help clinicians detect symptoms that often go unspoken. Researchers suggest that measuring how close someone is comfortable standing to others may offer a simple and effective way to identify paranoia and predict social difficulties. The findings were published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

Paranoia is a common and distressing symptom in schizophrenia, often involving the belief that others intend to cause harm. It can be difficult to spot through conversation alone, especially as many individuals may hide or minimise their fears during interviews. This new research, which involved 92 patients and 52 healthy controls, shows that measuring personal space can uncover hidden signs of paranoid thinking.

Those with paranoia consistently preferred to keep a larger distance from others, with personal space thresholds around 2.3 metres compared to 1.17 metres in healthy individuals. When asked to indicate the point at which they felt uncomfortable during interactions, participants with severe paranoia chose distances that were noticeably greater, especially when eye contact was involved. The results suggest that social proximity feels threatening to people with paranoid thoughts, triggering discomfort and stress.

Importantly, the study also confirmed that personal space preferences can be used as a diagnostic tool. A personal space of more than 1.1 metres detected paranoia with 92% sensitivity, while a threshold of 1.6 metres identified severe cases with 87% sensitivity and 81% specificity. These figures suggest that measuring interpersonal distance could become a valuable bedside test in clinical settings.

Stress responses recorded during personal space tasks also added insight. People with more severe paranoia had heightened levels of physiological stress when others came too close, pointing to a link between social stress, paranoid thinking, and the desire to keep distance. Interestingly, although baseline personal space and paranoia levels did not predict long-term functioning, people who showed reductions in their personal space needs over six months tended to experience improvements in social outcomes.

This connection may reflect a feedback loop: paranoia increases personal space needs, which in turn leads to social withdrawal and reduced interaction. Over time, this cycle can damage a person’s ability to function in daily life, from forming relationships to holding down a job. The findings indicate that clinicians should be mindful of how physical space is navigated by patients, especially those with paranoia, and consider incorporating space awareness into therapeutic strategies.

While medication and illness duration were factored into the study, the results point to personal space as an independent and valuable measure of social functioning and emotional state. As mental health services seek more accessible ways to support patients with schizophrenia, this kind of behavioural insight could prove key to early detection and targeted treatment.

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