Tailoring cognitive behavioural therapy to subtypes of voice-hearing using a novel tabletised manual: a feasibility study
Guy Dodgson, Ben Alderson-Day, David Smailes, Faye Ryles, Claire Mayer, Joanne Glen-Davison, Kaja Mitrenga, Charles Fernyhough
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy September 25, 2020 DOI: 10.1017/s1352465820000661 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Uncontrolled single-arm feasibility and acceptability study Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 24 |
| Population | People with frequent voice-hearing experiences receiving routine care, recruited from Early Intervention in Psychosis services and Community Mental Health Teams |
| Intervention | delivered on a smart tablet |
| Duration | 10 sessions of using the manual |
| Key points | Satisfaction and acceptability ratings for the tablet-delivered, phenomenology-tailored voice-hearing manual were high, though completion rates suggested it may be more appropriate for Early Intervention in Psychosis services than Community Mental Health Teams. Within-group changes suggested overall hallucination symptom severity, but not other psychosis features or beliefs about voices, is likely the most appropriate primary outcome for a full randomised controlled trial. |
Abstract
Abstract
Background: Cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis (CBTp) is a recommended treatment for psychotic experiences, but its effectiveness has been questioned. One way of addressing this may be to tailor therapy materials to the phenomenology of specific psychotic experiences.
Aim: In this study, we investigated the acceptability of a novel treatment manual for subtypes of ‘voice-hearing’ experiences (i.e. auditory verbal hallucinations). An uncontrolled, single-arm design was used to assess feasibility and acceptability of using the manual in routine care for people with frequent voice-hearing experiences.
Method: The manual was delivered on a smart tablet and incorporated recent research evidence and theory into its psychoeducation materials. In total, 24 participants completed a baseline assessment; 19 started treatment, 15 completed treatment and 12 participants completed a follow-up assessment (after 10 sessions of using the manual).
Results: Satisfaction with therapy scores and acceptability ratings were high, while completion rates suggested that the manual may be more appropriate for help with participants from Early Intervention in Psychosis services rather than Community Mental Health Teams.
Conclusion: Within-group changes in symptom scores suggested that overall symptom severity of hallucinations – but not other psychosis features, or beliefs about voices – are likely to be the most appropriate primary outcome for further evaluation in a full randomised controlled trial.
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Hearing voices and other altered perceptual experiences across psychotic, mood, and anxiety disorders: from phenomenology and mechanisms to future directions. Schizophrenia September 29, 2025
- The voice characterisation checklist: psychometric properties of a brief clinical assessment of voices as social agents. Frontiers in Psychiatry 2023
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