What’s the impact of voice-hearing experiences on the social relating of young people: A comparison between help-seeking young people who did and did not hear voices

Limited research has explored the specific impact of voice-hearing experiences upon the social relating of adolescents. This study examined the associations of voice-hearing in youth with social relating, and putative explanatory factors. An observational, cross-sectional design using a clinical comparison group was employed to examine historical and concurrent associations with voice-hearing. Thirty-four young people (age 14–18 years) with voice-hearing experiences and 34 young people who did not hear voices were recruited from NHS mental health services. Participants completed measures about social relating and potential explanatory factors. Analyses of covariance were used to examine between-group differences. Voice-hearers scored higher on negative schematic beliefs (self-beliefs, partial η(2) = .163, p = .001; other-beliefs, partial η(2) = .152, p =. 002) and depressive and anxiety symptoms (partial η(2) = .23 and partial η(2) = .24, p-s <. 001 respectively). The two groups did not differ significantly on childhood trauma levels (partial η(2) = .02, p = .273), however, the voice-hearing group scored lower on premorbid adjustment (partial η(2) = .19, p < .001). Hearing voices in help-seeking youth could be an indicator for social relating issues and holding negative schematic beliefs, and may be an indicator for of increased psychopathological complexity. Although poorer premorbid adjustment might indicate an early vulnerability to social relating difficulties, voice-hearing might be an aggravating factor and one that requires treatment.