The Characteristic Features of Auditory Verbal Hallucinations in Clinical and Nonclinical Groups: State-of-the-Art Overview and Future Directions

Abstract

Despite a growing interest in auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) in different clinical and nonclinical groups, the phenomenological characteristics of such experiences have not yet been reviewed and contrasted, limiting our understanding of these phenomena on multiple empirical, theoretical, and clinical levels. We look at some of the most prominent descriptive features of AVHs in schizophrenia (SZ). These are then examined in clinical conditions including substance abuse, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, dementia, late-onset SZ, mood disorders, borderline personality disorder, hearing impairment, and dissociative disorders. The phenomenological changes linked to AVHs in prepsychotic stages are also outlined, together with a review of AVHs in healthy persons. A discussion of key issues and future research directions concludes the review.

The effects of a voice hearing simulation on implicit fear of voices

“…regarding voices. Many of these studies have included simulations of distressing (or critical) voices within these interventions, due to the prevalence of these types of voices, as reported by voice hearers (Larøi et al, 2012). Overall, these interventions have been associated with positive outcomes and voice simulations have been shown to reduce stigma, but improve empathy, behavioral intentions, and positive attitudes toward voice hearers (Bunn & Terpstra, 2009;Chaffin & Adams, 2013;Dearing & Steadman, 2009;Deegan, 1996;Hojat et al, 2001;Kalyanaraman, Penn, Ivory, & Judge, 2010;Kidd, Tusaie, Morgan, Preebe, & Garrett, 2015;Sideras, Mckenzie, Noone, Dieckmann, & Allen, 2015;Ward, 2015;Wieland, Levine, & Smith, 2015;Wilson et al, 2009 (Ando, Clement, Barley, & Thornicroft, 2011).…”

Carving versus Stitching: The Concept of Psychic Function and the Continuity/Discontinuity Debate

“…Some research groups consider auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) a heterogeneous group of phenomena which includes commanding/commenting voices (usually associated with troubles in inner speech), ‘replay' voices (with memories), ‘own thoughts' voices (which share commonalities with inner speech and with memories), and non-verbal auditory hallucinations [11]. There have been others who have tried to make clear the relations between first-rank hallucinations and other kinds of ‘voices' [12], establish the role of culture in modelling hallucinations or study the differences between alcohol/epilepsy/schizophrenia-related voices [10,12]. In short, they all break a ‘perceptual' category into related but different experiential pieces.…”

Affective Politics, Debility and Hearing Voices: Towards a Feminist Politics of Ordinary Suffering

“…The turn to a symptom-or complaint-based approach to schizophrenia (4) led to a research focus on voice-hearing specifically. Hearing voices is now recognized as occurring transdiagnostically, including in people diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, dissociative disorders, and borderline personality disorder (5). It is also found outside of psychiatric contexts, with a low single digit percentage of the general population having extended voice-hearing experiences without meeting criteria for psychiatric diagnoses (6,7), evidencing that the experience is not necessarily associated with dysfunction or impairment.…”