Multidimensionality of hallucination-like experiences: A factor structure refinement of the Launay-Slade Hallucination Scale.
H Honcamp, L K Goller, M Amorim, S X Duggirala, J F Johnson, M Schwartze, A P Pinheiro, S A Kotz
Schizophrenia research. Cognition May 24, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.scog.2025.100368 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Exploratory factor analysis (cross-sectional study) Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 278 |
| Population | Heterogeneous sample from the general population (further characteristics not stated in the abstract) |
| Measures | Launay-Slade Hallucination Scale (LSHS, 16-item) |
| Keywords | Risk assessment Exploratory factor analysis Psychosis continuum Hallucination proneness Launay-slade hallucination scale Externalization bias |
| Key findings | The 16-item Launay-Slade Hallucination Scale resolved into four factors: "Multisensory HLEs", "Auditory daydreaming", "Vivid thoughts and inner speech", and "Personified HLEs". The authors present the personified factor, reflecting the perceived presence of another person or voice, as new and argue it aligns with theories of self-monitoring difficulties and external attribution bias as hallucination proneness increases across the psychosis continuum. |
Abstract
Background: Previous research on the multidimensionality of hallucination-like experiences (HLEs) across the psychosis continuum highlights methodological disparities, emphasizing the need for a cautious interpretation of findings and transparent reporting of parameters used in the analysis.
Methods: This study aimed to refine the factorial structure of the 16-item Launay-Slade Hallucination Scale (LSHS), enhance methodological clarity, and improve the robustness of LSHS factor solutions. To this end, an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was performed on a heterogeneous sample (N = 278) with specified parameters (e.g., estimation procedure) that remain true to data characteristics and assumptions underlying EFA.
Results: The results revealed a four-factor structure including "Multisensory HLEs", "Auditory daydreaming", "Vivid thoughts and inner speech", and "Personified HLEs". Our investigation introduces a new factor specific to the perceived presence of another person or another voice. This aligns with theories on self-monitoring difficulties associated with an external attribution bias as hallucination proneness (HP) increases across the continuum.
Conclusion: The current results provide an opportunity for investigating neurophysiological and neurobehavioral correlates of HP considering highly differentiated individual profiles of HLEs. Future studies should focus on validating the robustness of the four-factor structure derived from this research across diverse samples of the general population (e.g., different age groups and cultural backgrounds). Specified composite scores underlying HLEs could be of additive value when assessing emerging clinical risk on the psychosis continuum.