The experimental manipulation of auditory perceptual experiences: a systematic review and empirical study

Abstract

This thesis was completed by Amanda Anderson and was submitted to the University of Manchester for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology in the Faculty of Biology, Medical and Health on 24th May 2019. The thesis title is 'The experimental manipulation of auditory perceptual experiences: a systematic review and empirical study', and is comprised of three papers. Papers 1 and 2 have been prepared for submission to Frontiers in Psychiatry and Psychosis, respectively. Paper one was a review of 48 studies and aimed to identify and critique voice-hearing induction paradigms in order to guide future investigators in the design and evaluation of research in the voice-hearing field. Studies were organised into five groups based on the type of voice-hearing paradigm used. The quality of these paradigms was assessed, and their strengths and limitations evaluated, and recommendations for future studies made. Paper two aimed to explore the cognitive model of voice-hearing by using an analogue study to examine the effect of rumination on the frequency of voice-hearing, using a non-clinical sample of 106 participants. Participants completed baseline measures of trait rumination, hallucination proneness, mood and state negative affect, and were randomly allocated to a rumination or distraction group. A voice-hearing paradigm was used in which participants listened to an ambiguous stimulus and indicated when they believe they had heard a word. False alarms (the detection of a stimulus in the absence of one) were used as a proxy for voice-hearing, and false alarms and distress were compared between groups. The manipulation was successful (p = 0.007); however, the difference between the groups for total false alarms (p = 0.282) and distress (p = 0.387) was not statistically significant. Limitations of the study are discussed and recommendations made for future research in this field. Paper three provides a critical appraisal of the process of completing the review and experimental study, including personal reflections on the research process.

Date of Award	22 Jul 2019
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Sandra Bucci (Main Supervisor) & Anthony Morrison (Co Supervisor)