Work with voice hearers: evaluation of effectiveness of hearing voices groups
Comment from Marius Romme
"An article about a creative way of working with a hearing voices group. It is neither a randomised control trial ( N is only one), neither is it really cognitive therapy (just activities, but is a nice active way of stimulating a voice hearers group".
Terry McLeod, Mervyn Morris, Max Birchwood, Alan Dovey (2007): Work with voice hearers (parts one and two), British Journal of Nursing, 2007, Vol 16, No 4
Work with voice hearers (part one)
Abstract
(Part one)
This study presents a small, randomized control trial of cognitive behavioural interventions within a group setting for the treatment of auditory hallucinations. In a sample of 20 voice hearers, 10 were randomly allocated to an eight-session cognitive behavioural therapy group, and 10 underwent psychiatric ‘treatment as usual’. Baseline assessments were undertaken. Measures of control, power, frequency, and symptoms of distress and anxiety, were recorded on assessment and on completion of the group. The groups achieved a significant reduction in frequency of auditory hallucinations and in the beliefs about the power of the voice. Satisfaction measures also suggested that the group participants valued the group and benefited from the structured sessions. Universality, the recognition that other people experience very similar problems, was one of the most beneficial factors of the intervention. This study suggests that group cognitive behavioural therapy was helpful in the treatment
of auditory hallucinations.
Work with voice hearers (part two)
Abstact
Part two
This is the second of two papers that present a small, randomized control trial of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) within a group setting for the treatment of auditory hallucinations. In the previous paper, a method was described for an eight-session CBT group. Assessments were undertaken measuring control, power, frequency, and symptoms of distress and anxiety on commencement and on completion of the group. This second paper details the experience of the group and reports on the outcomes of the assessment measures. The study concludes that group CBT was helpful in the treatment of auditory hallucinations.
