Cognitive-Developmental Mechanisms in Hallucinations.

Hallucinations, which occur in many psychiatric disorders, may be better understood through the lens of developmental psychology. Their clinical significance depends on when they appear in a person's life. Key cognitive-developmental processes—such as engaging with imaginary entities, adverse events, executive functioning, social cognition, and language development—shape how hallucinations arise across different sensory modalities. Atypical developmental trajectories, as seen in certain conditions, also influence hallucination prevalence and phenomenology. Integrating developmental and psychiatric perspectives could yield mutual benefits for future research.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Hallucinations figure prominently in a range of psychiatric disorders but, to date, their developmental origins are not well understood. The aim of the present article is to explore how ideas from mainstream developmental psychology can enhance understanding of how hallucinations develop in different modalities across the lifecourse. Hallucinations vary in their clinical significance depending on at what point they occur in the lifetime of the individual. Key cognitive-developmental processes include engaging with imaginary entities, exposure to adverse events, executive functioning, social cognition, and language development. The presentation of hallucinations in certain developmental conditions suggest that atypical developmental trajectories can also play a key role in shaping hallucination prevalence and phenomenology. In considering prospects for future research at this interface, we propose that two-way benefits may result from further close integration between developmental and psychiatric approaches to hallucinations.