Responding to command hallucinations to harm: the unpleasant voices scale and harm command safety protocol

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Command hallucinations are common in individuals with auditory hallucinations.
• These hallucinations pose potential risks to self and others.
• Understanding factors influencing acting on commands is crucial for safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the implementation of the Harm Command Safety Protocol.
• To introduce the Unpleasant Voices Scale for assessing command hallucinations.
• To integrate these tools within an evidence-based behavioral management course.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of the Harm Command Safety Protocol.
• Utilisation of the Unpleasant Voices Scale.
• Dissemination of a multisite, evidence-based behavioral management course.

Main Results:

• The study details the practical application of new protocols for managing harmful command hallucinations.
• The effectiveness of the Harm Command Safety Protocol and Unpleasant Voices Scale in a clinical setting is described.
• Successful integration into a broader behavioral management course is demonstrated.

Conclusions:

• The Harm Command Safety Protocol and Unpleasant Voices Scale provide structured approaches to managing command hallucinations.
• These tools can be effectively disseminated within evidence-based courses.
• Improved patient safety and management of auditory hallucinations are potential outcomes.