title: Depersonalization as a mediator in the relationship between self-focused attention and auditory hallucinations.
abstract: The purpose of this work was to study the potentially mediating role of certain dissociative factors, such as depersonalization, between self-focused attention and auditory hallucinations. A total of 59 patients diagnosed with schizophrenic disorder completed a self-focused attention scale ( M. F. Scheier & C. S. Carver, 1985 ), the Cambridge Depersonalization Scale (M. Sierra & G. E. Berrios, 2000), and the hallucination and delusion items on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (S. R. Kay, L. A. Opler, & J. P. Lindenmayer, 1988). The results showed that self-focused attention correlated positively with auditory hallucinations, with delusions, and with depersonalization. It was also demonstrated that depersonalization has a mediating role between self-focused attention and auditory hallucinations but not delusions. In the discussion, the importance of dissociative processes in understanding the formation and maintenance of auditory hallucinations is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Virgen del Rocío Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit, Seville, Spain. sperona@us.es
authors.forename: Salvador
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perona-Garcelán
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carrascoso-López
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: García-Montes
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vallina-Fernández
authors.forename: Marino
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pérez-Álvarez
authors.forename: María Jesús
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ductor-Recuerda
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Salas-Azcona
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cuevas-Yust
authors.forename: María Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Gómez-Gómez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D001364:Awareness; D003073:Cognitive Dissonance; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D003702:Delusions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003861:Depersonalization / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012563:Schizophrenia, Paranoid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology