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Independent course of childhood auditory hallucinations: a sequential 3-year follow-up study^*

Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, University of Maastricht and Intervoice, Bemelen, The Netherlands

MARIUS ROMME, MD, PhD

Intervoice, Bemelen, The Netherlands

ALEX BUIKS, MA and PHILIPPE DELESPAUL

Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, The Netherlands

JIM VAN OS, MD, PhD

Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, The Netherlands and Division of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK

Correspondence: Professor Jim van Os, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, European Graduate School of Neuroscience, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 43 3299773; e-mail: j.vanos{at}sp.unimaas.nl

Declaration of interest None.

Supported by the Dutch Prevention Fund.

^* Presented in part at the European First Episode Schizophrenia Network Meeting, Whistler BC, Canada, 27 April 2001.

Background Childhood hallucinations of voices occur in a variety of contexts and have variable long-term outcomes.

Aim To study the course of experience of voices sequentially over a 3-year period in those with and those without a need for mental health care (patient status).

Method In a group of 80 children of mean age 12.9 years (s.d.=3.1), of which around 50% were not receiving mental health care, baseline measurement of voice characteristics, voice attributions, psychopathology, stressful life events, coping mechanisms and receipt of professional care were used to predict 3-year course and patient status.

Results The rate of voice discontinuation over the 3-year period was 60%. Patient status was associated with more perceived influence on behaviour and feelings and more negative affective appraisals in relation to the voices. Predictors of persistence of voices were severity and frequency of the voices, associated anxiety/depression and lack of clear triggers in time and place.

Conclusions Need for care in the context of experience of voices is associated with appraisal of the voices in terms of intrusiveness and ‘omnipotence’. Persistence of voices is related to voice appraisals, suggesting that experience of voices by children should be the target of specific interventions.

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				S. LEWIS The European First-Episode Schizophrenia Network The British Journal of Psychiatry, September 1, 2002; 181 (43): s1 - s2. [Full Text] [PDF]