The Phenomenology of Visual and Other Nonauditory Hallucinations in Affective and Nonaffective Psychosis: A Mixed Methods Analysis.
Wei Lin Toh, Neil Thomas, Susan Lee Rossell
The Journal of nervous and mental disease April 1, 2024 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1097/nmd.0000000000001750 via PubMed
Summary
Visual hallucinations in psychosis typically occur daily, last a few minutes, appear in direct line of sight, and commonly involve persons or animals. They are difficult to control and mostly cause negative emotions. Tactile and olfactory hallucinations were reported by 46.8% and 39.0% of participants, respectively. People with affective psychosis had greater awareness and less functional impairment than those with nonaffective psychosis. Qualitative analysis identified themes across hallucination types. More research on lesser-known hallucination modalities and better assessment tools are needed.
Study at a glance
| Design | mixed methods study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 75 |
| Population | people with psychosis who experience voice-hearing and endorsed visual, tactile, or olfactory hallucinations |
| Key finding | Visual hallucinations in psychosis are frequent, brief, and distressing; tactile and olfactory hallucinations are common; and people with affective psychosis show greater awareness and less impairment than those with nonaffective psychosis. |
Abstract
Nonauditory hallucinations in psychosis have not received as much attention relative to voice-hearing experiences. The current paper aimed to document the characteristics of these hallucinations in affective and nonaffective psychosis. Participants were selected from a primary voice-hearing sample, who had endorsed visual, tactile, or olfactory hallucinations ( N = 55-75). A comprehensive, semistructured phenomenological interview was conducted, followed by mixed methods analysis. Visual hallucinations typically occurred daily, for a few minutes per episode, within one's direct line of sight; persons and/or animals were most commonly seen, with low controllability and mostly engendered negative affective outcomes. Tactile and olfactory hallucinations were endorsed by 46.8% and 39.0% of participants, respectively. The affective psychosis group ( n = 33) reported significantly greater awareness and lower functional impairment relative to the nonaffective psychosis group ( n = 42). Qualitative thematic analysis revealed notable themes and subthemes across each of these hallucinations modes. Further phenomenological investigations should be carried out in lesser known hallucination modalities, assisted by the development of appropriate assessment tools.