Background
Negative emotions and stress are theorised to play a role in the onset and maintenance of voice-hearing experiences. However, previous research has not explored these temporal relationships in daily life using differentiated psychological constructs.
Aim
Using ecological momentary assessment, this study examined the moment-to-moment relationships between negative and positive emotion valence and intensity, stressful and pleasurable events, and voice-hearing onset.
Materials & Methods
Forty voice-hearers completed seven days of smartphone-based surveys, rating their emotions and their intensity, perceived stress and pleasure of life events, and presence of voice-hearing.
Results
Multilevel modelling showed that stressful events, but not pleasurable events, were significantly predictive of voice-hearing, both concurrently and in the next time point. Neither negative nor positive emotion intensity predicted voice-hearing, nor did they moderate the relationship between voice-hearing onset and stressful or pleasurable events, respectively.
Discussion
These findings suggest that factors which differentiate perception of stressful events from self-reported negative emotions may be useful intervention targets, such as mitigating prolonged external stressors, reducing sensitivity to external stressors and targeting negative perceptions or resistance to these stressors.
Conclusion
Clinically, our findings underscore the relevance of stress and a negative perception of externally oriented events, with further research needed to explore useful interventions for targeting these mechanisms.
Details
Title
The associations of stress, pleasure and emotion to voice-hearing: An ecological momentary assessment study
Authors/Creators
Kelly Cusworth - Murdoch University
Sharla Cartner - Swinburne University of Technology
Georgie Paulik - School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Neil Thomas - Swinburne University of Technology
Guillermo Campitelli - Murdoch University
Danielle C Mathersul - Murdoch University
Publication Details
Psychology and psychotherapy, Early View
Publisher
John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The British Psychological Society.