Perception of belonging and social anticipatory pleasure: Mediating variables of negative symptoms in the general population

Negative symptoms are core features of schizophrenia. Their importance is significant because of their harmful effects, starting insidiously before positive symptoms. Good knowledge of these symptoms and their mediating variables in the general population is necessary to be able to develop appropriate interventions. To analyze mediation of perception of belonging and social anticipatory pleasure in the relationship between childhood memories of threat, submission and devaluation experiences and negative symptoms according to the continuum hypothesis. The sample evaluated was made up of 921 participants from the general population, with a mean age of 27.96 ( SD = 12.76) and middle social class. Analysis resulted in partial mediation, where memories of early life experiences were significant in their relationship with negative symptoms. Perception of belonging was a mediator with medium effect size ( d = −0.638), and a small indirect effect size ( d = 0.245); anticipatory pleasure was not significant ( d = 0.134). When social anhedonia/social withdrawal was included, mediation was partial. Perception of belonging stands out as a mediator with medium effect size ( d = −0.547) and small indirect effect size ( d = 0.229); the indirect effect of anticipatory pleasure was negligible ( d = 0.146). Depressive symptoms were significant covariates in the analyses. Perception of belonging is highlighted due to its relationship with negative symptoms, and probably, as a risk factor for developing or maintaining them. It is a characteristic to be borne in mind in the prevention and design of interventions for negative symptoms (particularly social anhedonia/social withdrawal).