Experiences of dissociation within voice hearing and trauma

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    How individuals who hear voices and have a history of trauma, experience and manage dissociation: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

  • IRAS ID

    332201

  • Contact name

    Moya Clancy

  • Contact email

    Moya.Clancy@glasgow.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    NHS Lanarkshire

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    0 years, 5 months, 2 days

  • Research summary

    Background
    There is little qualitative research exploring the lived experience of dissociation, and the first study exploring dissociative experiences in psychosis has only recently been published (Černis, Freeman & Ehlers, 2020). There is increasing evidence suggesting that dissociation plays a pivotal role in mediating the relationship between trauma and hallucinations (Bloomfield et al., 2021). Individuals with these experiences are often subject to demoralization, distress and subject to misdiagnosis by clinicians (Longden, Madill & Waterman, 2012).

    Aims
    This study aims to add to the current literature to deepen and produce understandings that are inclusive of individuals experiences of dissociation, within those who have experienced trauma and who hear voices.

    Research Question
    How individuals with a history of trauma and hear voices, experience and manage dissociation?

    Methods

    Participants will be individuals who have experienced dissociation, hear voices and have a history of trauma.

    Recruitment
    Between 6-8 people with lived experiences of dissociation, trauma and voice hearing will be recruited from NHS Lanarkshire mental health services. Potential participants will be identified by NHS Lanarkshire clinicians or through self referral by participants responding to posters advertising the study.

    Design of study
    This is a qualitative study which will entail one-to-one interviews with the participants. These will be audio-recorded and analysed using a research method called interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).

    The data will not be shared by a third party for commercial development, but will inform further research within the field.

  • REC name

    West of Scotland REC 3

  • REC reference

    24/WS/0147

  • Date of REC Opinion

    1 Nov 2024

  • REC opinion

    Favourable Opinion