title: Screening for psychotic experiences: social desirability biases in a non-clinical sample.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Subthreshold psychotic experiences are common in the population and may be clinically significant. Reporting of psychotic experiences through self-report screens may be subject to threats to validity, including social desirability biases. This study examines the influence of social desirability on the reporting of psychotic experiences.
  
  
  METHODS
  College students (n = 686) completed a psychosis screen and the Marlowe-Crowne social desirability scale as part of a self-report survey battery. Associations between psychosis and social desirability were tested using logistic regression models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With the exception of auditory hallucinations, all other measures of psychotic experiences were subject to social desirability biases. Respondents who gave more socially desirable answers were less likely to report psychotic experiences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Respondent's tendency to underreport psychotic experiences should be accounted for when screening for these symptoms clinically. Findings also suggest that population figures based on self-report may underestimate the prevalence of subthreshold delusions but not hallucinations.
authors: School of Social Work, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
authors: Jordan E
authors: JE
authors: DeVylder
authors: Department of Psychology, The College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA.
authors: Matthew R
authors: MR
authors: Hilimire
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015982:Bias; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D057566:Self Report; D012928:Social Desirability
keywords: prevention; psychosis continuum; psychotic-like experience; schizophrenia