The distress experienced by voice hearers is associated with the perceived relationship between the voice hearer and the voice.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the relationship between distress and the perceptions that voice hearers have of their relationship with the voice they hear. We predicted that a dominant style of relating by the voice and a submissive and distancing style of relating by the voice hearer would be linked with distress.


METHODS
Thirty people who were hearing voices took part in the study. Information was gathered about the characteristics of the voice-hearing experience, the level of distress experienced in relation to the voice, the relationship between the voice hearer and the voice, and level of depression.


RESULTS
The tendency for the voice to relate in a dominating, insulting manner and the tendency of individuals to react with suspicion and lack of communication with the voice were uniquely associated with distress.


CONCLUSIONS
Appraisals of the relationship between the voice and voice hearer made by voice hearers are associated with differing emotional responses to voices. Clinical assessments of people who have distressing voices may be enhanced by a detailed consideration of the sort of relationship that exists between the client and their voice.
Vaughan
Sam
S
Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy Service, Bedford Hospital North Wing, Bedford, UKSchool of Health Policy and Practice, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
Fowler
David
D
Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy Service, Bedford Hospital North Wing, Bedford, UKSchool of Health Policy and Practice, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014831:Voice