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The associations of stress, pleasure and emotion to voice‐hearing: An ecological momentary assessment study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Negative emotions and stress are theorised to play a role in the onset and maintenance of voice-hearing experiences. However, previous research has not explored these temporal relationships in daily life using differentiated psychological constructs. AIM: Using ecological momentary assessment, this study examined the moment-to-moment relationships between negative and positive emotion valence and intensity, stressful and pleasurable events, and voice-hearing onset. MATERIALS & METHODS: Forty voice-hearers completed seven days of smartphone-based surveys, rating their emotions and their intensity, perceived stress and pleasure of life events, and presence of voice-hearing. RESULTS: Multilevel modelling showed that stressful events, but not pleasurable events, were significantly predictive of voice-hearing, both concurrently and in the next time point. Neither negative nor positive emotion intensity predicted voice-hearing, nor did they moderate the relationship between voice-hearing onset and stressful or pleasurable events, respectively. DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that factors which differentiate perception of stressful events from self-reported negative emotions may be useful intervention targets, such as mitigating prolonged external stressors, reducing sensitivity to external stressors and targeting negative perceptions or resistance to these stressors. CONCLUSION: Clinically, our findings underscore the relevance of stress and a negative perception of externally oriented events, with further research needed to explore useful interventions for targeting these mechanisms.

Source: Psychology and Psychotherapy Theory Research and Practice

DOI: 10.1111/papt.12598

Authors: Kelly Cusworth, Sharla Cartner, Georgie Paulik, Neil Thomas, Guillermo Campitelli, Danielle C. Mathersul

Institutions: Murdoch University, Swinburne University of Technology, Curtin University, VA Palo Alto Health Care System

Language: English

Topic: Hallucinations in medical conditions

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,070