Work

The phenomenology of inner speech: comparison of schizophrenia patients with auditory verbal hallucinations and healthy controls

Year: 2008

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Despite the popularity of inner-speech theories of auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs), little is known about the phenomenological qualities of inner speech in patients with schizophrenia who experience AVHs (Sz-AVHs), or how this compares to inner speech in the non-voice-hearing general population. METHOD: We asked Sz-AVHs (n=29) and a non-voice-hearing general population sample (n=42) a series of questions about their experiences of hearing voices, if present, and their inner speech. RESULTS: The inner speech reported by patients and controls was found to be almost identical in all respects. Furthermore, phenomenological qualities of AVHs (e.g. second- or third-person voices) did not relate to corresponding qualities in inner speech. CONCLUSIONS: No discernable differences were found between the inner speech reported by Sz-AVHs and healthy controls. Implications for inner-speech theories of AVHs are discussed.

Source: Psychological Medicine

DOI: 10.1017/s0033291708003978

Authors: R. Langdon, S. R. Jones, E. Connaughton, C. Fernyhough

Institutions: Sydney South West Area Health Service, Schizophrenia Research Institute, Macquarie University, Durham University

Language: English

Topic: Hallucinations in medical conditions

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: Medical Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council