Neil Thomas1, John Farhall2, Frances Shawyer3. 1. Swinburne University and Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre,Melbourne,Australia. 2. La Trobe University,Melbourne,Australia. 3. Monash University,Melbourne,Australia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In people who experience auditory verbal hallucinations, beliefs the person holds about their voices appear to be clinically important as mediators of associated distress and disability. Whilst such beliefs are thought to be influenced by broader schematic representations the person holds about themselves and other people, there has been little empirical examination of this, in particular in relation to beliefs about voice intent and the personal meaning of the voice experience. METHOD: Thirty-four voice hearers with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder completed the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales and measures of beliefs about voices (Revised Beliefs About Voices Questionnaire, Interpretation of Voices Inventory) and schemas (Brief Core Schema Scales). RESULTS: Beliefs about voices were correlated with both negative voice content and schemas. After controlling for negative voice content, schemas were estimated to predict between 9% and 35% of variance in the six beliefs about voices that were measured. Negative-self schemas were the strongest predictors, and positive-self and negative-other schemas also showed potential relationships with beliefs about voices. CONCLUSIONS: Schemas, particularly those regarding the self, are potentially important in the formation of a range of clinically-relevant beliefs about voices.
BACKGROUND: In people who experience auditory verbal hallucinations, beliefs the person holds about their voices appear to be clinically important as mediators of associated distress and disability. Whilst such beliefs are thought to be influenced by broader schematic representations the person holds about themselves and other people, there has been little empirical examination of this, in particular in relation to beliefs about voice intent and the personal meaning of the voice experience. METHOD: Thirty-four voice hearers with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder completed the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales and measures of beliefs about voices (Revised Beliefs About Voices Questionnaire, Interpretation of Voices Inventory) and schemas (Brief Core Schema Scales). RESULTS: Beliefs about voices were correlated with both negative voice content and schemas. After controlling for negative voice content, schemas were estimated to predict between 9% and 35% of variance in the six beliefs about voices that were measured. Negative-self schemas were the strongest predictors, and positive-self and negative-other schemas also showed potential relationships with beliefs about voices. CONCLUSIONS: Schemas, particularly those regarding the self, are potentially important in the formation of a range of clinically-relevant beliefs about voices.
Authors: Clara Strauss; Kenneth Hugdahl; Flavie Waters; Mark Hayward; Josef J Bless; Liv E Falkenberg; Bodil Kråkvik; Arve Egil Asbjørnsen; Erik Johnsen; Igne Sinkeviciute; Rune A Kroken; Else-Marie Løberg; Neil Thomas Journal: Psychiatry Res Date: 2017-10-05 Impact factor: 3.222
Authors: Isabella Kusztrits; Wei Lin Toh; Neil Thomas; Frank Larøi; Denny Meyers; Marco Hirnstein; Susan Rossell Journal: Psychol Psychother Date: 2022-02-14 Impact factor: 3.966
Authors: Laina Rosebrock; Sinéad Lambe; Sophie Mulhall; Ariane Petit; Bao S Loe; Simone Saidel; Maryam Pervez; Joanna Mitchell; Nisha Chauhan; Eloise Prouten; Cindy Chan; Charlotte Aynsworth; Elizabeth Murphy; Julia Jones; Rosie Powling; Kate Chapman; Robert Dudley; Anthony Morrison; Eileen O'Regan; David M Clark; Felicity Waite; Daniel Freeman Journal: Behav Cogn Psychother Date: 2022-02-15
Authors: Neil Thomas; Mark Hayward; Emmanuelle Peters; Mark van der Gaag; Richard P Bentall; Jack Jenner; Clara Strauss; Iris E Sommer; Louise C Johns; Filippo Varese; José Manuel García-Montes; Flavie Waters; Guy Dodgson; Simon McCarthy-Jones Journal: Schizophr Bull Date: 2014-07 Impact factor: 9.306