The usefulness of a self-report questionnaire measuring auditory verbal hallucinations

A self-report measure of psychotic symptoms has been considered to be unsuitable due to the possible denial of symptoms in the patients with schizophrenia. However, a self-report questionnaire would be an efficient tool for the evaluation of subjective aspects of auditory verbal hallucination (AVH), which requires further clarification. In this study, a total of 87 patients with schizophrenia took baseline evaluations for Hamilton Program for Schizophrenia Voices Questionnaire (HPSVQ), a self-report questionnaire for AVH, and Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales-Auditory Hallucination Subscale (PSYRATS-AH) and an item measuring hallucinations (P3) on Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia (PANSS), both interviewer-rated scales for AVH. At 1 week and at 6 months post-baseline, 39 and 68 patients repeated HPSVQ and PSYRATS-AH, respectively. Total scores on HPSVQ showed good agreement with those on PSYRATS-AH and PANSS, Item P3, and HPSVQ showed good test-retest reliability and internal consistency. In addition, the changes in total scores of HPSVQ during 6-month follow-up were also highly correlated to those of PSYRATS-AH. The findings of factor analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis suggested that the items addressing emotional characteristics of AVH constituted one factor and that the remaining items, primarily concerning the physical characteristics, combined to form another factor. Taken together, the HPSVQ a self-report questionnaire measuring AVH, was characterized by good psychometric properties, which suggests the appropriateness of a self-report scale for examining the internal structure of AVH in patients with schizophrenia. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.This study was supported by a grant from the Korea Healthcare Technology R&D Project, Ministry for Health, Welfare, and Family Affairs (03-PJ10-PG13-GD01-0002), Republic of Korea.Chang JS, 2009, AUST NZ J PSYCHIAT, V43, P244, DOI 10.1080/00048670802653299Shawyer F, 2008, J NERV MENT DIS, V196, P390, DOI 10.1097/NMD.0b013e318171093bRabinowitz J, 2008, SCHIZOPHR RES, V100, P359, DOI 10.1016/j.schres.2007.10.021ALEMAN A, 2008, HALLUCINATIONS SCI IBell M, 2007, PSYCHIAT RES, V151, P37, DOI 10.1016/j.psychres.2006.04.012Laroi F, 2007, HARVARD REV PSYCHIAT, V15, P109, DOI 10.1080/10673220701401993Niv N, 2007, SCHIZOPHR RES, V90, P245, DOI 10.1016/j.schres.2006.11.011Pinto A, 2007, PSYCHOPATHOLOGY, V40, P312, DOI 10.1159/000105529Van Lieshout RJ, 2007, CAN J BEHAV SCI, V39, P73, DOI 10.1037/cjbs2007006Steel C, 2007, INT J METH PSYCH RES, V16, P88, DOI 10.1002/mpr.203Chan SC, 2005, ETHNOLOGY, V44, P65Ditman T, 2005, HARVARD REV PSYCHIAT, V13, P280, DOI 10.1080/10673220500326391Liraud F, 2004, J NERV MENT DIS, V192, P352, DOI 10.1097/01.nmd.00126702.30745.1dMackinnon A, 2004, J NERV MENT DIS, V192, P357, DOI 10.1097/01.nmd.0000126728.70060.faDurham RC, 2003, BRIT J PSYCHIAT, V182, P303Lewis S, 2002, BRIT J PSYCHIAT, V181, pS91Erkwoh R, 2002, PSYCHOPATHOLOGY, V35, P272, DOI 10.1159/000067065Kulhara P, 2001, PSYCHIAT CLIN N AM, V24, P449Del Boca FK, 2000, ADDICTION, V95, pS347Selten JP, 2000, COMPR PSYCHIAT, V41, P191Birchwood M, 2000, PSYCHOL MED, V30, P337*AM PSYCH ASS, 2000, DIAGN STAT MAN MENTvan Os J, 1999, SOC PSYCH PSYCH EPID, V34, P459Haddock G, 1999, PSYCHOL MED, V29, P879Doyle M, 1999, ACTA PSYCHIAT SCAND, V99, P466Peters ER, 1999, SCHIZOPHRENIA BULL, V25, P553Shergill SS, 1998, SCHIZOPHR RES, V32, P137Schwartz RC, 1998, PSYCHOL REP, V82, P227*NIH, 1998, METH MEAS BEH SOC SCMiller LJ, 1996, AM J PSYCHIAT, V153, P265BLAZER DG, 1994, AM J PSYCHIAT, V151, P979CICCHETTI DV, 1994, PSYCHOL ASSESSMENT, V6, P284MASLOWSKI J, 1993, B I MARIT TROP MED G, V44, P95MELTZER HY, 1992, SCHIZOPHRENIA BULL, V18, P515KAY SR, 1987, SCHIZOPHRENIA BULL, V13, P261ALDENDERFER MS, 1984, CLUSTER ANALSARTORIUS N, 1974, SCHIZOPHRENIA B, V1, P21CRONBACH LJ, 1951, PSYCHOMETRIKA, V16, P297