The purpose of the present study was to find which diathesis-factor variable(s) predicted the incidence of persecutory thoughts in the diathesis-stress framework. Questionnaires were administered to 117 college students three times at two-week intervals. At Time 1, the diathesis factor was assessed with 17 probable variables, which had been selected from various qustionnaires. At Time 2, persecutory thoughts during the period, and at Time 3, persecutory thoughts and stressor events between Time 2 and Time 3 were assessed. Setwise hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to predict the change in the incidence of persecutory thoughts between Time 2 and Time 3. Results revealed significant interaction effects between stressor and two diasessis variables: resentment and hearing negative voice. Students with high scores on the two diathesis-factor variables showed and increase in persecutory thoughts when they reported to have experienced more stressor events.
Key words: persecutory thoughts, diathesis-stress model, longitudinal study