{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.015103338632750398, 'fraction_numerical': 0.000794912559618442, 'mean_word_length': 5.489690721649485, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
A Longitudinal Investigation of Beliefs about Voices

Beliefs about auditory hallucinations have been found to influence voice hearers' behavioural and emotional reactions to the hallucinations. It is currently unknown however, how these beliefs change over time in the absence of psychological intervention or if they remain stable, and how such changes may be related to changes in other symptoms. This study aimed to expand on previous research by exploring the beliefs of voice hearers concerning the malevolence or benevolence of voices in a longitudinal design. Forty-six individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia were assessed with the PANSS, the HAD, and an interview exploring hallucinatory experiences and beliefs about hallucinations over a period of 6 months. General psychopathology and the severity and frequency of hallucinations were found to improve. Voice hearers' beliefs about their voices, however, remained stable. Beliefs do not appear to change without a specific intervention aimed at them and may indeed serve as vulnerability factors. These findings can be interpreted to imply that psychological interventions aimed at modifying such beliefs, such as CBT, might be a necessary component of the treatment of auditory hallucinations.