Abstract
Background: Medication-resistant, persistent auditory hallucinations are pervasive in persons with schizophrenia. Behavior strategies are often very effective as adjunctive therapy to decrease the negative characteristics of this symptom. Objectives: The purpose of this multi-site intervention study was to examine the short-term effects of a 10-week course to teach behavior management of persistent auditory hallucinations on seven characteristics of auditory hallucinations (i.e., frequency, loudness, self-control, clarity, tone, distractibility, and distress), anxiety, and depression. Study Design: A quasi-experimental repeated measured design was used. The sample included 62 outpatients with schizophrenia who reported daily persistent auditory hallucinations. Measures included the Characteristics of Auditory Hallucinations Questionnaire, the tension-anxiety subscale of the Profile of Mood States, and the Beck Depression Inventory II. Results: Preintervention scores for the frequency (p <.001), self-control (p <.03), clarity (p <.01), tone (p <.03), distractibility (p <.006), and distress (p <.001) improved compared with preintervention scores. Postintervention scores on anxiety and depression were also significantly lower than preintervention scores (p <.02, p <.001, respectively). Conclusions: Teaching behavior management of persistent auditory hallucinations in a standardized 10-week course is clinically effective and can be incorporated into many existing outpatient programs.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 84-91 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jun 2002 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Research supported by grants from University of San Francisco Faculty Development Funds, Sigma Theta Tau–Beta Gamma Chapter, American Nurses Foundation, and American Psychiatric Nurses Association/Zeneca–Best Treatment of Schizophrenia in a Behavioral Health Care Program Award. Louise Trygstad, RN, CNS, DNSc, is a professor at the School of Nursing, University of San Francisco. Robin Buccheri, RN, MHNP, DNSc, is a professor at the School of Nursing, University of San Francisco. Glenna Dowling, RN, PhD, is the director of the Institute on Aging Research Center and associate adjunct professor at the University of California, San Francisco.