Mindfulness of voices, self-compassion, and secure attachment in relation to the experience of hearing voices.
James Dudley, Catrin Eames, John Mulligan, Naomi Fisher
British Journal of Clinical Psychology August 12, 2017 DOI: 10.1111/bjc.12153 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional online survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 128 |
| Population | Adults who currently hear voices (73% female; mean age 37.5; 87.5% Caucasian) |
| Measures | Self-Compassion Scale, Southampton Mindfulness of Voices Questionnaire, Relationships Questionnaire, Hamilton Programme for Schizophrenia Voices Questionnaire |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Cross-sectional studies Empathy Schizophrenia Adult Female Surveys and questionnaires Attachment Psychosis Compassion Mediation Auditory hallucinations Hearing voices |
| Key findings | Self-compassion and mindfulness of voices were positively correlated with each other and negatively correlated with distress and severity of voices. Each construct mediated the relationship between the other and voice severity, suggesting a synergistic relationship. The authors argue these findings support the potential therapeutic value of mindful and compassionate approaches to voice hearing, though causation cannot be inferred. |
Abstract
Objectives: Developing compassion towards oneself has been linked to improvement in many areas of psychological well-being, including psychosis. Furthermore, developing a non-judgemental, accepting way of relating to voices is associated with lower levels of distress for people who hear voices. These factors have also been associated with secure attachment. This study explores associations between the constructs of mindfulness of voices, self-compassion, and distress from hearing voices and how secure attachment style related to each of these variables.
Design: Cross-sectional online.
Method: One hundred and twenty-eight people (73% female; Mage = 37.5; 87.5% Caucasian) who currently hear voices completed the Self-Compassion Scale, Southampton Mindfulness of Voices Questionnaire, Relationships Questionnaire, and Hamilton Programme for Schizophrenia Voices Questionnaire.
Results: Results showed that mindfulness of voices mediated the relationship between self-compassion and severity of voices, and self-compassion mediated the relationship between mindfulness of voices and severity of voices. Self-compassion and mindfulness of voices were significantly positively correlated with each other and negatively correlated with distress and severity of voices.
Conclusion: Mindful relation to voices and self-compassion are associated with reduced distress and severity of voices, which supports the proposed potential benefits of mindful relating to voices and self-compassion as therapeutic skills for people experiencing distress by voice hearing. Practitioner points: Greater self-compassion and mindfulness of voices were significantly associated with less distress from voices. These findings support theory underlining compassionate mind training. Mindfulness of voices mediated the relationship between self-compassion and distress from voices, indicating a synergistic relationship between the constructs. Although the current findings do not give a direction of causation, consideration is given to the potential impact of mindful and compassionate approaches to voices.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Mindfulness-based interventions for patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: A systematic review of the literature. Schizophrenia Research February 1, 2024
- Metacognition and Mindfulness Integrated Therapy Reduces Severity of Hallucination in a Patient Not Taking Antipsychotic Medication. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy August 2018
Cites 8
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Health Care Professionals: Results From a Randomized Trial. International Journal of Stress Management May 1, 2005
- Effects of mindfulness on meta-awareness and specificity of describing prodromal symptoms in suicidal depression. Emotion February 1, 2010
- Can we respond mindfully to distressing voices? A systematic review of evidence for engagement, acceptability, effectiveness and mechanisms of change for mindfulness-based interventions for people distressed by hearing voices. Frontiers in Psychology August 14, 2015
- From a state to a trait: Trajectories of state mindfulness in meditation during intervention predict changes in trait mindfulness Personality and Individual Differences July 1, 2015
and 3 more in the library