Hearing distressing voices (also known as auditory verbal hallucinations) is a common symptom associated with a number of mental health problems. Psychological therapies, specifically cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) can be an effective intervention for this patient group. The aim of CBT for voices (CBTv) is to reduce the distress associated with the experience, by encouraging the patient to re-evaluate their beliefs about the voice's omnipotence, omniscience, and malevolence. Despite the evidence for CBTv, very few patients are offered this therapy; largely due to a lack of resources. The aim of this thesis was to develop and begin to evaluate a CBT-based intervention for voices that was resource-light; in the hope that it could be more easily be implemented into clinical services, and therefore increase access. This thesis begins with an introduction to the research area, and is followed by a review and evaluation of the methods used in this thesis. Chapter 6 is a systematic review and meta-analysis of the current literature on brief (< 16 NICE recommended sessions) CBT for psychosis (CBTp). Chapters 7 and 8 describe the process of developing a brief CBT intervention for voices, based on the CBT self-help book ‘Overcoming Distressing Voices'. Both people who hear voices, and mental health clinicians were consulted on the intervention concept and design. The outcome of these studies was guided self-help CBTv, and an accompanying therapy workbook to guide the intervention. Chapters 9 and 10 detail the design and findings of a randomised controlled trial of guided self-help CBTv delivered by Clinical Psychologists, versus a wait-list control group. Data was collected at baseline (pre-randomisation) and 12 weeks post-randomisation. The primary outcome was voice-related distress. The findings across all of the studies are then summarised and reflected upon within the Discussion chapter – including consideration of the extent to which the overall aim of this thesis (increasing access) has been achieved.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:723087 |
| Date | January 2017 |
| Creators | Hazell, Cassie M. |
| Publisher | University of Sussex |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/70214/ |
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