“What Is the Frequency and Nature of Visual Hallucinations in Non-Clinical Participants?”, Charlotte Aynsworth, Julie Rolinson, Maryam Pervez, Daniel Collerton, Robert Dudley2022-12-11 (SCZ)⁠:

Objectives: There is a paucity of psychological treatments for visual hallucinations (VH). A key aspect in the psychological treatment of hallucination-related distress is normalization to explain that these experiences are commonplace and can be non-distressing. In order to normalize VH, it is vital that more is known about VH in non-clinical populations. This study investigated the prevalence, content, context, appraisals, distress, and behavioral reactions to VH in a non-clinical sample.

Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted.

Method: 466 students completed the Multi-Modality Unusual Sensory Experiences Questionnaire-VH subscale with additional contextual follow-up questions.

Results: Of the 466 participants, 395 (84.8%) reported anomalous visual experiences. 176 (37.77%) participants reported VH similar to the content seen in psychosis. Of the overall sample, 17.38% felt their experience met the VH definition. Participants mainly saw figures, when alone and in the evening. Participants endorsed normalizing appraisals: 112⁄176 (78.87%) believed their mind was playing tricks on them and 83 (58.45%) believed they were tired. However, many also believed the VH was a threat to their mental (66, 46.48%) or physical well-being (41, 28.87%). These negative appraisals were associated with distress.

Conclusion: VH are seemingly common in non-clinical populations and are similar in a number of ways to those of people with psychosis. Awareness that VH occur on a continuum could normalize people’s experiences and reduce their negative appraisals and related distress.

[Keywords: auditory hallucinations, general population, psychosis, schizophrenia, visual hallucinations]

See Also:

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• The Psychosis Continuum: Testing a Bifactor Model of Psychosis in a General Population Sample

• Is there a general factor of prevalent psychopathology during adulthood?