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The phenomenology of inner speech: comparison of schizophrenia patients with auditory verbal hallucinations and healthy controls

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 July 2008

R. Langdon ,
S. R. Jones ,
E. Connaughton  and
C. Fernyhough
R. Langdon
Affiliation:
Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia Cognition and Connectivity Panel, Schizophrenia Research Institute, Australia Schizophrenia Research Unit, Sydney South West Area Health Service, Australia
S. R. Jones*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Durham University, UK
E. Connaughton
Affiliation:
Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
C. Fernyhough
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Durham University, UK
*
*Address for correspondence: S. R. Jones, Department of Psychology, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK. (Email: s.r.jones@durham.ac.uk)
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Abstract

Background

Despite the popularity of inner-speech theories of auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs), little is known about the phenomenological qualities of inner speech in patients with schizophrenia who experience AVHs (Sz-AVHs), or how this compares to inner speech in the non-voice-hearing general population.

Method

We asked Sz-AVHs (n=29) and a non-voice-hearing general population sample (n=42) a series of questions about their experiences of hearing voices, if present, and their inner speech.

Results

The inner speech reported by patients and controls was found to be almost identical in all respects. Furthermore, phenomenological qualities of AVHs (e.g. second- or third-person voices) did not relate to corresponding qualities in inner speech.

Conclusions

No discernable differences were found between the inner speech reported by Sz-AVHs and healthy controls. Implications for inner-speech theories of AVHs are discussed.

Keywords

Auditory verbal hallucinationsinner speechphenomenologyschizophreniaVygotsky
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 39 , Issue 4 , April 2009 , pp. 655 - 663
Copyright
Copyright © 2008 Cambridge University Press

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