Understanding Boredom Proneness in Schizotypy: An Exploratory Study Including Substance Use and Sense of Purpose

Abstract Boredom proneness describes an individual’s susceptibility toward experiencing negative emotions when understimulated. Research on boredom proneness’ relationship with mental health symptomology has increased in recent years. Of particular interest, boredom proneness appears to have a distinct role within the schizophrenia spectrum, specifically through shared phenomena such as negative affect and lifestyle factors involving sense of purpose and substance use. Because of its trait-like nature and potential to elicit negative emotions, boredom proneness may be relevant to the etiology of the disorder. However, very little is known about the influence of boredom proneness prior to the development of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. As such, the present exploratory study sought to evaluate the relationships between boredom proneness and levels of schizotypy (i.e., risk indicators for schizophrenia spectrum disorders) while also considering its association with the related factors of substance use, sense of purpose, and negative affect. Data was collected from a nonclinical sample of 544 undergraduate students through an online protocol from January 2017 until December 2018. Results provided evidence of associations between boredom proneness and all three schizotypy subscales, with the strongest association seen with negative schizotypy. Further, boredom proneness was associated with greater substance use habits, lower sense of purpose, and greater negative affect. Taken together, these findings suggest that high levels of boredom proneness may be a potential vulnerability for those at risk for schizophrenia. Additional research is needed to examine the full clinical relevance of boredom proneness and its implications for intervention.