TY - JOUR
T1 - ‘Is hearing believing?’
T2 - A study of voices and beliefs in psychosis and trauma
AU - Rajanthiran, Leon
AU - Curtis, Guy
AU - Ayalde, Jeremiah
AU - Orr, Kenneth
AU - Melvill-Smith, Peter
AU - Banerjee, Amit
AU - Schenk, Meta
AU - Wearne, Deborah
N1 - Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This study was supported by the RANZCP Foundation.
Publisher Copyright:
© The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2022.
PY - 2022/8
Y1 - 2022/8
N2 - Objective: This study compared voice characteristics and beliefs in participants diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with dissociation, schizophrenia (SCZ) and both diagnoses of SCZ and PTSD. The relationship between dissociation and voice beliefs was also assessed. Method: We identified 56 participants meeting the diagnostic criteria for PTSD with dissociation, SCZ or both diagnoses (PTSD + SCZ) who also experienced auditory hallucinations. Measures included PTSD Symptoms Scales Interview (PSSI-5), Psychotic Symptoms Rating Scale (PSYRAT), Clinician Administered Dissociative States Scale (CADSS), Beliefs about Voices Questionnaire (BAVQ) and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Results: Beliefs about voices were similar across diagnostic groups. Participants with SCZ were more likely to attribute their voices to an external origin, and participants with dual diagnosis were less able to control their voices. The PTSD-only group scored higher in dissociation scores than either the SCZ-only or dual diagnosis group. Malevolent voice appraisals correlated with dissociation scores only in the dual diagnosis group. Conclusions: This research supports the hypothesis that voice beliefs are similar across diagnoses of PTSD and SCZ. However, differences in voice characteristics, emotional responses and relationship to dissociation may need to be considered in the psychological management of voices.
AB - Objective: This study compared voice characteristics and beliefs in participants diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with dissociation, schizophrenia (SCZ) and both diagnoses of SCZ and PTSD. The relationship between dissociation and voice beliefs was also assessed. Method: We identified 56 participants meeting the diagnostic criteria for PTSD with dissociation, SCZ or both diagnoses (PTSD + SCZ) who also experienced auditory hallucinations. Measures included PTSD Symptoms Scales Interview (PSSI-5), Psychotic Symptoms Rating Scale (PSYRAT), Clinician Administered Dissociative States Scale (CADSS), Beliefs about Voices Questionnaire (BAVQ) and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Results: Beliefs about voices were similar across diagnostic groups. Participants with SCZ were more likely to attribute their voices to an external origin, and participants with dual diagnosis were less able to control their voices. The PTSD-only group scored higher in dissociation scores than either the SCZ-only or dual diagnosis group. Malevolent voice appraisals correlated with dissociation scores only in the dual diagnosis group. Conclusions: This research supports the hypothesis that voice beliefs are similar across diagnoses of PTSD and SCZ. However, differences in voice characteristics, emotional responses and relationship to dissociation may need to be considered in the psychological management of voices.
KW - auditory hallucinations
KW - dissociation
KW - post-traumatic stress disorder
KW - pseudohallucinations
KW - voice-hearing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85131571104&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/10398562221106064
DO - 10.1177/10398562221106064
M3 - Article
C2 - 35968743
AN - SCOPUS:85131571104
SN - 1039-8562
VL - 30
SP - 547
EP - 551
JO - Australasian Psychiatry
JF - Australasian Psychiatry
IS - 4
ER -
