Hallucinations beyond voices: a conceptual review of the phenomenology of altered perception in psychosis

Elizabeth Pienkos, Anne Giersch, Marie Hansen, Simon McCarthy-Jones, Clara Humpston, Aaron L. Mishara, Barnaby Nelson, Sohee Park, Andrea Raballo, Rajiv Sharma, Neil Thomas, Cherise Rosen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

26 Citations (Scopus)
152 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Recent psychiatric research and treatment initiatives have tended to move away from traditional diagnostic categories and have focused instead on transdiagnostic phenomena, such as hallucinations. However, this emphasis on isolated experiences may artificially limit the definition of such phenomena and ignore the rich, complex, and dynamic changes occurring simultaneously in other domains of experience. This article reviews the literature on a range of experiential features associated with psychosis, with a focus on their relevance for hallucinations. Phenomenological research on changes in cognition, perception, selfhood and reality, temporality, interpersonal experience, and embodiment are discussed, along with their implications for traditional conceptualizations of hallucinations. We then discuss several phenomenological and neurocognitive theories, as well as the potential impact of trauma on these phenomena. Hallucinations are suggested to be an equifinal outcome of multiple genetic, neurocognitive, subjective, and social processes; by grouping them together under a single, operationalizable definition, meaningful differences in etiology and phenomenology may be ignored. It is suggested that future research efforts strive to incorporate a broader range of experiential alterations, potentially expanding on traditional definitions of hallucinations. Relevance for clinical practice, including emphasizing phenomenologically responsive techniques and developing targeted new therapies, is discussed.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)S67–S77
Number of pages11
JournalSchizophrenia bulletin
Volume45
Issue numberSupplement_1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Feb 2019

Keywords

  • hallucinations
  • voice hearing
  • phenomenological psychiatry
  • psychosis
  • schizophrenia

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