A Cross-National Investigation of Hallucination-Like Experiences in 10 Countries: The E-CLECTIC Study

Abstract

Hallucination-like experiences (HLEs) are typically defined as sensory perceptions in the absence of external stimuli. Multidimensional tools, able to assess different facets of HLEs, are helpful for a better characterization of hallucination proneness and to investigate the cross-national variation in the frequencies of HLEs. The current study set out to establish the validity, factor structure, and measurement invariance of the Launay-Slade Hallucinations Scale-Extended (LSHS-E), a tool to assess HLEs. A total of 4419 respondents from 10 countries were enrolled. Network analyses between the LSHS-E and the 3 dimensions of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE) were performed to assess convergent and divergent validity of the LSHS-E. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test its measurement invariance. The best fit was a 4-factor model, which proved invariant by country and clinical status, indicating cross-national stability of the hallucination-proneness construct. Among the different components of hallucination-proneness, auditory-visual HLEs had the strongest association with the positive dimension of the CAPE, compared with the depression and negative dimensions. Participants who reported a diagnosis of a mental disorder scored higher on the 4 LSHS-E factors. Small effect size differences by country were found in the scores of the 4 LSHS-E factors even after taking into account the role of socio-demographic and clinical variables. Due to its good psychometric properties, the LSHS-E is a strong candidate tool for large investigations of HLEs.

Imaginary Companions, Inner Speech, and Auditory Verbal Hallucinations: What Are the Relations?

“…For Study 2, a 9-item version of the LSHS was used which incorporated the five auditory LSHS items used in Study 1, and added four items from the full LSHS relating to visual experiences (for example, I see shadows and shapes when there is nothing there ) (Bentall and Slade, 1985; Morrison et al, 2000). The longer scale provides a more reliable estimate of hallucination proneness, and is in line with use of the LSHS in the wider hallucinations literature (which often focuses on general hallucination proneness; e.g., Siddi et al, 2019).…”

Correlates of hallucinatory experiences in the general population: an international multi-site replication study

“…Hallucinations are often associated with a diagnosis of schizophrenia (Bauer et al, 2011), or other psychiatric disorders (Toh et al, 2016), but they can also occur in those with no diagnosis at all (Powers et al, 2017;Sommer et al, 2010). Consistent with a dimensional or 'continuum' view of psychosis (van Os et al, 2000), susceptibility to hallucinatory experiences (HEs) varies across the population (Siddi et al, 2019). This has led researchers to propose the existence of a psychosis phenotype, or a continuous hallucination phenotype (Aleman & Larøi, 2008).…”

Hallucination Research: Into the Future, and Beyond

“…Next, Siddi et al 8 report on a large multicountry study that sought to address similarities and differences in hallucinatory-like experiences across cultures, stability of the continuum construct, invariance, and psychopathological correlates (the E-CLECTIC study). The study enrolled 4419 participants across 10 countries to establish the validity, factor structure, and measurement invariance of the Launay–Slade Hallucinations Scale–Extended (LSHS-E).…”