A 25-year-old man believes that people in a TV show are sending secret messages to him personally through their dialogues. This is best described as:

Correct option is B

Delusion of reference = patient interprets neutral events (TV, newspaper, gestures) as having special, personal meaning directed at him.
Explanation of options: (a) ✘ Delusion of persecution = belief of being plotted against, harmed. (b) ✔ Correct; believing random events/TV show carry messages = reference delusion. (c) ✘ Thought insertion = belief that external force puts thoughts into one’s mind. (d) ✘ Ideas of influence = belief that one’s actions are controlled by external force.