Benevolent voices are not so kind: the functional significance of auditory hallucinations.
BACKGROUND
This study measures the impact of beliefs about auditory hallucinations on social functioning.


METHODS
Twenty-nine subjects who met the ICD-10 criteria for schizophrenia or a schizo-affective disorder were included. Beliefs about voices and coping responses as measured by the Beliefs about Voices Questionnaire were compared with social functioning as assessed with the Life Skills Profile (LSP).


RESULTS
The belief that voices are benevolent was associated with poor communication. Engagement with voices was correlated with the non-turbulence and the compliance factors of the LSP. Patients who held the belief that their voices were benevolent functioned significantly more poorly on the communication factor of the LSP than patients who interpreted their voices as malevolent.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that a positive relationship with voices may affect social functioning. However, the size of the sample is small and patients with benevolent voices are overrepresented. Nonetheless, these results have implications for the use of cognitive therapy for psychotic symptoms.
Favrod
J
J
Rehabilitation Unit, University Department of Adult Psychiatry, Site de Cery, CH-1008 Prilly, Switzerland. jerome.favrod@hospvd.ch
Grasset
F
F
Spreng
S
S
Grossenbacher
B
B
Hodé
Y
Y
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012919:Social Behavior