Are people with mental health problems more likely to believe in the paranormal?

Are people with mental health problems more likely to believe in the paranormal?

Chris French (Anomalistic Psychologist) gives expert video advice on: Why do people believe in the paranormal?; Do most people believe in the paranormal?; How important are people's paranormal beliefs to them? and more...

Lots of skeptics will say that if you report on these kinds of experiences, well you're just naff, you're crazy. Now, I think that's far, far too simplistic. There are lots of perfectly sane, intelligent, rational, honest people who report having these paranormal experiences. When you actually look at the research literature you will find that there is in fact, in general, a slight correlation with measures of psychological maladjustment. So if you have tendencies towards manic depression, for example, you will be more likely to believe in the paranormal and report having paranormal experiences. If you show tendencies towards schizotypical thinking, again the same thing applies. So in general terms there is some truth in it, but the correlations, although they're significant are all pretty weak and by no means offer a full explanation.