Aja Hann & Jennifer Querques

Aja_Jen

Project Title:  Hearing Voices Groups & Recovery: A Quantitative Approach

Authors:  Aja Hann, Jennifer Querques, Dr. Regina Casey, Gill Walker & Michael Lee

Introduction:  Auditory hallucinations can be a distressing experience for individuals and can lead to social distress and decreased participation in activities of their daily lives (McCarthy-Jones et al., 2014). The hearing voices network, a new movement, encourages individuals with auditory hallucinations to acknowledge and talk about their experience of hearing voices (Ruddle, Mason, & Wykes, 2011). Hearing Voices Groups (HVG) provide individuals the opportunity to create connections through shared encouragement, allowing members to share coping strategies, and create a paradigm shift of thinking in regards to their voices (Ruddle, et al., 2011). HVG strive to raise awareness of the experience of hearing voices and shift the societal perspective that this experience is a definitive sign of mental illness. HVG support the following notions: hearing voices is a common variation in individuals, it is not a symptom of an illness, and individuals can make meaning of their voices and come to value them (Escher & Romme, 2012).

Objectives:
1. To gain insight and knowledge into the recovery perspectives of individuals attending the hearing voices groups, and the diversity of those who participate.
2. To determine if there are any correlations between recovery levels, and number of HVG groups attended.

Methods:  Quantitative data has been collected through distributing a survey to members attending the HVG in the Lower Mainland. Included in the survey package is a demographics form and the Stages of Recovery Instrument. This will allow the researchers to determine the various levels of recovery of those attending the groups, and whether there are correlative trends between recovery levels and demographic data.

Conclusion: We anticipate there will be a diversity of recovery levels supported by the HVG. As well, that higher recovery levels will correlate to more attendance to HVG groups.