Depersonalization as a Mediator in the Relationship Between Self-Focused Attention and Auditory Hallucinations

Abstract

The purpose of this work was to study the potentially mediating role of certain dissociative factors, such as depersonalization, between self-focused attention and auditory hallucinations. A total of 59 patients diagnosed with schizophrenic disorder completed a self-focused attention scale (M. F. Scheier & C. S. Carver, 1985), the Cambridge Depersonalization Scale (M. Sierra & G. E. Berrios, 2000), and the hallucination and delusion items on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (S. R. Kay, L. A. Opler, & J. P. Lindenmayer, 1988). The results showed that self-focused attention correlated positively with auditory hallucinations, with delusions, and with depersonalization. It was also demonstrated that depersonalization has a mediating role between self-focused attention and auditory hallucinations but not delusions. In the discussion, the importance of dissociative processes in understanding the formation and maintenance of auditory hallucinations is suggested.

Keywords:

• self-focused attention
• depersonalization
• hallucinations
• delusions
• psychosis

Acknowledgments

This work was done under Research Project PSI2009-09453 funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology.