Latent profile analysis of delusion-like experiences among emerging adults of Kashmir

Delusion-like experiences (DLEs) are understood not as a categorical marker of psychosis but as a dimensional phenomenon distributed across the general population. Contemporary models of psychosis suggest that variations in the frequency and phenomenology of such experiences may reflect meaningful subgroups within nonclinical samples. Against this backdrop, the present study examined the latent profiles of emerging adults DLEs using Peter’s Delusions Inventory (PDI-21). A cross-sectional convenience sample of 498 emerging adults of Kashmir valley completed the PDI-21, and latent profile analysis was conducted on the total score as well as the Distress, Preoccupation, and Conviction dimensions of the scale. Model fit indices supported a 3-profile solution (AIC = 12,736; BIC = 12,921; Entropy = 0.719) comprising weak (29.7%), moderate (45.6%), and strong endorsement profiles (24.7%), with high classification certainty (posterior probabilities = 0.95–0.96). Welch’s ANOVA and Post Hoc analyses confirmed significant differences across all profiles with respect to TPDI and its subscales (all p < .001). Further Chi-square analyses indicated that profiles didn’t differ by gender, education, family type, domicile or SES (all p > .05), suggesting that all profiles were not shaped by socio-demographic variables. Findings of this research indicate that DLEs vary in degree among emerging adults while also revealing a separate subgroup at the upper end of severity. This gradient observed across the profiles provides support for the dimensional view of psychosis, but the marked elevation in distress and conviction dimensions among the strongest endorsement groups aligns with hybrid models proposing a continuous variation with increased psychological impact. These subgroups help clarify when normative experiences may differ in intensity, without implying clinical risk or diagnosis status.