Information for voice hearers without a 'need for care'
Am I eligible for the study?
We are currently seeking people who:
a) are 18 or over
b) currently hear a voice or voices that other people cannot hear most days
c) have been hearing this voice (or voices) for more than five years
d) do not feel distressed* by their voice hearing experiences
e) have never sought help from mental health services in relation to their voices
If this sounds like you or someone you know, you can find further details on what the study would involve below and/or in the downloadable participant information sheet on the right side of the page.
*If you are hearing a voice or voices that are causing you significant distress or disruption to your daily activities, and you are not already receiving support from mental health services, we would encourage you to discuss any concerns you have with your GP. For further information on where to get support (including urgent support), please click here.
If I take part, what will it involve?
After you have provided us with your contact details, you will receive a brief phone call from the chief investigator. The purpose of the call is to discuss the study and give you an opportunity to ask questions and decide whether you might like to meet with the chief investigator in person to find out more.
If the you decide you would like to find out more, you will be invited to meet with the chief investigator at a location convenient for you. During this session, the study will be explained in more detail, with plenty of opportunities for you to ask any questions. If you decide that you would like to participate, you will be asked to complete a set of questionnaires which aim to gain a deeper understanding of your voice hearing experiences. All of these questions will be asked in a sensitive, non-judgemental and empathic way. The whole session will take approximately 3 hours, with opportunities for breaks whenever necessary.
At the end of the session, you will be provided with a mobile phone, and asked to carry this around with you for nine days as you go about your usual daily activities. This mobile phone contains an ‘app’ which beeps ten times per day, reminding you to fill in a short questionnaire on the screen about your current activities, thoughts, feelings and voice hearing experiences. You will be shown how to use the app during the initial meeting, and will receive the contact details of the chief investigator in case you experience any problems.
At the end of the nine days, you will meet with the chief investigator for a second time to return the phone and complete two short questionnaires about your experience of participating in the study.
For a more detailed explanation of what the study will involve, please see the downloadable participant information sheet on the right side of the page.
Potential benefits
We offer £60 in return for your time plus any travel costs you may incur in attending the research and follow-up sessions (note that all meetings will take place in a location convenient for you).
Other information
You may worry that this project might involve negative judgements of people whose experience and beliefs might be considered unconventional or unusual - this is NOT the aim of the study. On the contrary, we are interested in gaining a fuller understanding of the different ways in which people interpret and respond to unusual experiences. We hope a better psychological understanding of these types of experiences will, in the long term, help other people to accept them more readily.
Participation in the study is entirely voluntary. If you do decide to take part, you are still free to withdraw at any time, without giving a reason. All information given in this study is strictly confidential and stored following strict data protection guidelines and only the researchers will be able to identify your details.
How do I get involved?
If you are interested in taking part in this study, please contact Sarah (details on the right hand side of the page), providing your contact details.