Auditory hallucinations in the context of past trauma: the role of posttraumatic stress symptoms and potential of trauma-focused psychological therapies as a novel treatment approach.

Auditory hallucinations are a common and (often) distressing experience. There is mounting evidence implicating posttraumatic stress symptoms (hyperarousal, trauma memory intrusions, and avoidance) in these experiences. This research aimed to test the moment-to-moment role of posttraumatic stress symptoms in auditory hallucinations and the potential of trauma-focused psychological therapies as a novel treatment. Trauma memory intrusions had a momentary relationship with auditory hallucinations and trauma-focused therapies showed promise as an acceptable and effective treatment for some people. This research contributes to knowledge regarding trauma-related mechanisms in auditory hallucinations and assists the development of treatments that target these mechanisms.