How Voice Hearers Develop More Positive Relationships with Their Voices and the Role of Encountering Books Aligned with the Hearing Voices Movement

Section A
Presented is a systematic literature review exploring how voice hearers have been able to develop more positive relationships with their voices. A thematic synthesis approach was used to synthesis 27 papers including qualitative studies, mixed methods studies, and narrative case reports. Quality assessment was guided by the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme, Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool: Mixed Methods Checklist, and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool: Qualitative Studies Checklists, respectively. Five interconnected but not sequentially related superordinate themes emerged: ‘coming to see voices as less threatening’; ‘developing new ways of responding to voices’, ‘becoming more accepting and less fearful of voices’; ‘beyond voices’ and ‘facilitators’. The implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed.

Section B
Presented is a qualitative study exploring the experiences of voice hearers who have read books associated with the Hearing Voices Movement. The study explored how such reading featured voice hearers’ life stories from the perspectives of ten voice hearers, using Narrative Analysis. Results suggested that encountering alternative narratives about voice hearing,
including through reading, can act as a turning point where stigmatising dominant cultural narratives of voice hearing are challenged, and more positive identities constructed. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.