Voice phenomenology as a mirror of the past.
Psychological medicine May 1, 2023 David Van den Berg, Eva Tolmeijer, Alyssa Jongeneel et al.
In people with psychosis who hear voices after experiencing trauma, trauma often shapes the content and emotional impact of those voices. Among 73 participants, independent links between trauma and voices—such as similar victimization types, emotional responses, or negative self-beliefs—were reported by 51-58% of participants and 8-41% of researchers. Dependent links, where the voice directly mirrored the trauma in content, identity, or relational dynamics, were found in 80% of participant reports and 66% of researcher ratings, with relational links being most common. Negative self-beliefs from trauma strongly predicted similar beliefs in voices. Trauma appears to be a powerful force shaping voice-hearing, suggesting that trauma-induced mechanisms may be important targets for intervention.