Hearing Voices and Relating Styles: Exploring the Similarities Between Relating with the Voice and with the People in One's Social World in Clinical and Non Clinical Samples.

Research has shown that people who hear voices may or may not be in contact with mental health services (clinical and non clinical voice hearers) (Romme & Escher, 2000). A relational approach to voice hearing has suggested that voices may be thought of as an interpersonal ‘other’ that can be communicated with and related to (Benjamin, 1989). This study assessed whether voice relating mirrored social relating in clinical and non clinical samples. Clinical voice hearers were recruited via mental health services and non clinical voice hearers through a variety of sources such as advertisements in newspapers. All were aged 18 years and over. Thirty two clinical voice hearers and eighteen non clinical voice hearers completed semi structured interviews and questionnaires for the study. The results provided limited support for the hypothesis 'the relationship that a voice hearer has with his/her voice will mirror the relationships he/she has with people in his/her social world'. Significant associations were found for the relating styles of dominance (in both samples) and distance (in the non clinical sample). Clinical voice hearers related more negatively with their voice and with people in their social world than non clinical voice hearers. The exceptions of this were the relating styles of dependence (with the voice) and intrusiveness (in social world). The importance of dominance and power in voice relating was emphasised. Future research focussing on the construct of dependence was suggested