The intrasubjectivity of self, voices and delusions: A phenomenological analysis

To advance the area of phenomenology of voices and their interrelatedness to forms of delusions, this study investigated the prevalence and interrelatedness of co-occurring auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) and delusions. Additionally, we explored the characterization of distinct subcategories/clusters of AVHs and delusions. Ninety-two participants experiencing psychosis were administered standardized clinical measures. We found a significant diagnostic difference with increased prevalence of co-occurring AVHs and delusions within the schizophrenia group compared to the bipolar with psychosis group. Regardless of diagnosis, there was a significant positive correlation between AVHs and delusions of reference, persecution, control, thought insertion, thought withdrawal and thought broadcasting. However, no significant relationship was found between AVHs and grandiose, somatic, religious, guilty or jealousy-themed delusions. Cluster analysis yielded two distinct cluster groups. Cluster One: Voices and Th...