Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-5r2nc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-26T01:45:43.808Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The relationship between trauma and beliefs about hearing voices: a study of psychiatric and non-psychiatric voice hearers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 January 2008

E. M. Andrew ,
N. S. Gray  and
R. J. Snowden
E. M. Andrew*
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, Royal Glamorgan Hospital, Llantrisant, UK School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
N. S. Gray
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK South Wales Forensic Psychiatric Service, Caswell Clinic, Glanrhyd Hospital, Bridgend, UK
R. J. Snowden
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr E. M. Andrew, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, Wales, UK. (Email: [email protected])
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background

Cognitive models suggest that distress associated with auditory hallucinations is best understood in terms of beliefs about voices. What is less clear is what factors govern such beliefs. This study aimed to explore the way in which traumatic life events contribute towards beliefs about voices and any associated distress.

Method

The difference in the nature and prevalence of traumatic life events and associated psychological sequelae was compared in two groups of voice hearers: psychiatric voice hearers with predominantly negative beliefs about voices (PVH) and non-psychiatric voice hearers with predominantly positive beliefs about voices (NPVH). The data from the two groups were then combined in order to examine which factors could significantly account for the variance in beliefs about voices and therefore levels of distress.

Results

Both groups reported a high prevalence of traumatic life events although significantly more PVH reported trauma symptoms sufficient for a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Furthermore, significantly more PVH reported experiencing childhood sexual abuse. Current trauma symptoms (re-experiencing, avoidance and hyperarousal) were found to be a significant predictor of beliefs about voices. Trauma variables accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in anxiety and depression.

Conclusions

The results suggest that beliefs about voices may be at least partially understood in the context of traumatic life events.

Keywords

Auditory hallucinationstrauma
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 38 , Issue 10 , October 2008 , pp. 1409 - 1417
Copyright
Copyright © 2008 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Agar, K, Read, J (2002). What happens when people disclose sexual or physical abuse to staff in a community mental health centre? International Journal of Mental Health Nursing 11, 70–79.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
APA (1994). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edn. American Psychiatric Association: Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Bebbington, P, Bhugra, D, Bhugra, T, Singleton, N, Farrell, M, Jenkins, R, Lewis, G, Meltzer, H (2004). Psychosis, victimization and childhood disadvantage: evidence from the second British National Survey of Psychiatric Morbidity. British Journal of Psychiatry 185, 220–226.Google Scholar
Beck, AT, Epstein, N, Brown, G, Steer, RA (1988). An inventory for measuring clinical anxiety: psychometric properties. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 56, 893–897.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beck, AT, Steer, RA, Brown, GK (1996). Manual for Beck Depression Inventory – II. Psychological Corporation: San Antonio, TX.Google Scholar
Bentall, RP (1990). The illusion of reality: a review and integration of psychological research on hallucinations. Psychological Bulletin 107, 82–95.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Birchwood, M, Meaden, A, Trower, P, Gilbert, P, Plaistow, J (2000). The power and omnipotence of voices: subordination and entrapment by voices and significant others. Psychological Medicine 30, 337–344.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bryman, A, Carmer, D (1997). Quantitative Data Analysis with SPSS for Windows: A Guide for Social Scientists. Routledge: London.Google Scholar
Chadwick, PD, Birchwood, MJ (1994). The omnipotence of voices: a cognitive approach to hallucinations. British Journal of Psychiatry 164, 190–201.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chadwick, P, Lees, S, Birchwood, M (2000). The revised Beliefs About Voices Questionnaire (BAVQ-R). British Journal of Psychiatry 177, 229–232.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Close, H, Garety, P (1998). Cognitive assessment of voices: further developments in understanding the emotional impact of voices. British Journal of Clinical Psychology 37, 173–188.Google Scholar
Day, S, Peters, E (1999). The incidence of schizotypy in new religious movements. Personality and Individual Differences 27, 101–116.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ensink, BJ (1992). Confusing Realities. A Study on Child Sexual Abuse and Psychiatric Symptoms. Free University Press: Amsterdam.Google Scholar
Falmularo, R, Kinscherff, R, Fenton, T (1992). Psychiatric diagnoses of maltreated children: preliminary findings. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 31, 863–867.Google Scholar
Foa, EB (1995). Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale. National Computer Systems: Minneapolis, MN.Google Scholar
Frame, L, Morrison, A (2001). Causes of posttraumatic stress disorder in psychotic patients. Archives of General Psychiatry 58, 305–306.Google Scholar
Garety, PA, Kuipers, E, Fowler, D, Freeman, D, Bebbington, PE (2001). A cognitive model of the positive symptoms of psychosis. Psychological Medicine 31, 189–195.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Goff, DC, Brotman, AW, Kindlon, D, Waites, M, Amico, E (1991). Self-reports of childhood abuse in chronically psychotic patients. Psychiatry Research 37, 73–80.Google Scholar
Haddock, G, MaCarron, J, Tarrier, N, Faragher, E (1999). Scales to measure dimensions of hallucinations and delusions: the psychotic symptoms rating scales (PSYRATS). Psychological Medicine 29, 879–889.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Honig, A, Romme, M, Ensink, B, Escher, S, Pennings, M, Devries, M (1998). Auditory hallucinations: a comparison between patients and nonpatients. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 186, 646–651.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Horowitz, M, Wilner, N, Alvarez, W (1979). Impact of Event Scale: a measure of subjective distress. Psychosomatic Medicine 41, 209–218.Google Scholar
Kessler, R, Sonnega, A, Bromet, E, Hughes, M, Nelson, B (1995). Posttraumatic stress disorder in the National Comorbidity Survey. Archives of General Psychiatry 52, 1048–1060.Google Scholar
Kilcommons, A, Morrison, AP (2005). Relationships between trauma and psychosis: an exploration of cognitive and dissociation factors. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 112, 351–359.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Larkin, W, Morrison, A (eds) (2006). Trauma and Psychosis. Routledge: London.Google Scholar
Lothian, J, Read, J (2002). Asking about abuse during mental health assessments: clients' views and experiences. New Zealand Journal of Psychology 31, 98–103.Google Scholar
McGreery, CA, Claridge, GA (1995). Out-of-body experiences and personality. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 60, 129–148.Google Scholar
Morrison, A (2001). The interpretation of intrusions in psychosis: an integrative cognitive approach to hallucinations and delusions. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy 29, 257–276.Google Scholar
Mueser, KT, Goodman, LB, Trumbetta, SL, Rosenberg, SD, Osher, FC, Vidaver, R, Aucellio, P, Foy, DW (1998). Trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder in severe mental illness. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 66, 493–499.Google Scholar
Neria, Y, Bromet, E, Sievers, S, Lavelle, J, Fochtman, L (2002). Trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress disorder in psychosis: findings from a first admission cohort. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 70, 246–251.Google Scholar
Raune, D, Kuipers, E, Bebbington, P (1999). Psychosocial stress and delusional verbal auditory hallucinatory themes in first episode psychosis: implications for early intervention. Paper presented at Psychological Treatments of Schizophrenia, Oxford, 23–24 September.Google Scholar
Read, J, Agar, K, Argyle, N, Aderhold, V (2003). Sexual and physical abuse during childhood and adulthood as predictors of hallucinations, delusions and thought disorder. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice 76, 1–23.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Read, J, Fraser, A (1998 a). Abuse histories of psychiatric inpatients: to ask or not to ask? Psychiatric Services 49, 355–359.Google Scholar
Read, J, Fraser, A (1998 b). Staff response to abuse histories of psychiatric inpatients. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 32, 206–213.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Read, J, Hammersely, P, Rudegeair, T (2007). Why, when and how to ask about childhood abuse. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment 13, 101–110.Google Scholar
Romme, M, Escher, A (eds) (1993). Accepting Voices. Mind: London.Google Scholar
Romme, MAJ, Escher, A (1989). Hearing voices. Schizophrenia Bulletin 15, 209–216.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ross, C, Joshi, S (1992). Schneiderian symptoms and childhood trauma in the general population. Comprehensive Psychiatry 33, 269–273.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Thalbourne, MA (1994). Belief in the paranormal and its relationship to schizophrenia-relevant measures: a confirmatory study. British Journal of Clinical Psychology 33, 78–80.Google Scholar
Tobert, N (2001). The polarities of consciousness. In Psychosis and Spirituality: Exploring the New Frontier (ed. Clarke, I.), pp. 29–52. Whurr Publishers: London.Google Scholar
Young, M, Read, J, Barker-Collo, S, Harrison, R (2001). Evaluating and overcoming barriers to taking abuse histories. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice 32, 407–414.CrossRefGoogle Scholar