Re-evaluation of the relationship between paranormal belief and perceived stress using statistical modelling

Traditional Paranormal Belief (TPB), which involves belief in supernatural forces that provide social-level control, predicts higher distress and lower coping, whereas New Age Philosophy (NAP), which involves belief in individual-level control, shows no such association. In a sample of 3,084 adults (ages 18–91), TPB was significantly linked to worse well-being as measured by the Perceived Stress Scale, while NAP was unrelated to either distress or coping. The findings support the idea that TPB is associated with an external locus of control, specifically the notion that unknown supernatural forces influence existence.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Recent research indicates that paranormal belief, in the absence of allied cognitive-perceptual and psychopathology-related factors, is not associated with negative wellbeing outcomes. However, investigators have historically reported relationships between specific facets of belief (e.g., superstition) and stress vulnerability. These typically derive from the Revised Paranormal Belief Scale (RPBS), which has questionable psychometric integrity. The main issue being that several RPBS items perform poorly. Noting this, the present paper re-examined the relationship between paranormal belief and stress using the Rasch purified version of the RPBS. This comprises two dimensions, called Traditional Paranormal Belief (TPB) and New Age Philosophy (NAP). These are operationalised in terms of function. Specifically, whether belief provides a sense of control at the social (TPB) or individual level (NAP). Accordingly, this study examined whether TPB and NAP were differentially predictive of levels of perceived stress. In this context, stress served as an indicator of well-being. A sample of 3084 participants (Mage = 50.31, SD = 15.20, range 18-91) completed the RPBS alongside the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling revealed that TPB was significantly predictive of higher Distress, and lower Coping. NAP was neither predictive of Distress nor Coping. These findings support the notion that TPB is attendant with external control, particularly the notion that unknown supernatural forces/powers influence existence.