A randomised controlled pilot study of Experience Focused Counselling with voice hearers

Schnackenberg, Joachim; Fleming, Mick; Martin, Colin R.

Abstract

Background: There is a need for improved psychosocial interventions for distressed voice hearers.

Aims: To evaluate a novel approach to hearing voices: Experience Focused Counselling (EFC) aka Making Sense of Voices.

Study design and methods: Twelve voice hearers were randomly assigned to a 44-week EFC or Treatment As Usual intervention as part of a pilot study design.

Results: At the end of intervention, EFC showed clinically large treatment effect improvements on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale – Expanded Version psychotic symptoms (Cohen’s d=1.6) and overall psychopathology domains (d=1.3), and the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales voices (d=1) and delusions (aka non-shared reality) (d=1) scales. EFC voice hearers also felt more able to do first trauma disclosures (n=4) than TAU group voice hearer (n=1).

Discussion: EFC improvements may have been related to the focus on reducing voices-related distress. EFC holds some promise as a safe and effective intervention for voice hearers, with possible improvements in general psychopathology, psychosis, voices and non-shared reality (aka delusions)-related distress. This will need replicating in more powerful studies.

Citation

Schnackenberg, J., Fleming, M., & Martin, C. R. (2017). A randomised controlled pilot study of Experience Focused Counselling with voice hearers. Psychosis, 9(1), 12-24. https://doi.org/10.1080/17522439.2016.1185452

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 29, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Jul 5, 2016
• Publication Date: Jan 2, 2017
• Deposit Date: Jun 7, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 12, 2018
• Journal: Psychosis
• Print ISSN: 1752-2439
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 9
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 12-24
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17522439.2016.1185452
• Keywords: Experience focussed counselling; Hearing voices; Making sense of voices; Psychosis; Randomised controlled trial; Schizophrenia
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/867747
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17522439.2016.1185452
• Related Public URLs: http://collections.crest.ac.uk/14489/
• Additional Information: Peer Review Statement: The publishing and review policy for this title is described in its Aims & Scope.; Aim & Scope: http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=aimsScope&journalCode=rpsy20
• Contract Date: Jun 12, 2018