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The effect of trauma-focused therapy on voice-hearing: An experience sampling study
Simone R Burger1,2, Amy Hardy3,4, Inez Verdaasdonk1,2
1Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University and Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Psychology and Psychotherapy
|November 4, 2024
Summary
Trauma-focused therapy (TFT) significantly reduced distressing voice-hearing in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This therapy also demonstrated a strong association between decreased PTSD symptoms and reduced voice-hearing experiences.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Clinical Neuroscience
Background:
- Trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are implicated in the development and persistence of auditory hallucinations (voice-hearing).
- Trauma-focused therapy (TFT) is a potential intervention for voice-hearing, but empirical evidence remains limited and inconclusive.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of TFT in reducing voice-hearing among individuals with PTSD and psychosis.
- To explore the relationship between changes in voice-hearing and PTSD symptom severity following TFT.
Main Methods:
- An adjunct longitudinal experience sampling method (ESM) study involving 39 participants from a randomized controlled trial comparing TFT to a waiting-list control.
- Participants completed daily voice-hearing questionnaires over six days at baseline and post-treatment.
- PTSD symptom severity was assessed at baseline and post-treatment, with multilevel linear regression used for analysis.
Main Results:
- A significant interaction effect between time and treatment condition (p < .00001) indicated a greater reduction in voice-hearing in the TFT group compared to the waiting-list control group (dppc2 = -0.27).
- A significant association was found between reductions in PTSD symptoms and voice-hearing experiences (p < .00001).
Conclusions:
- Trauma-focused therapy (TFT) shows potential in alleviating distressing voices in individuals with PTSD, even when voices are not the primary treatment target.
- Findings suggest TFT may be a valuable therapeutic approach for individuals experiencing both PTSD and voice-hearing.
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