Cognitive factors in predisposition to auditory and visual hallucinations

Objectives. This study adapted the Launay Slade Hallucination Scale (LSHS) to measure predisposition to auditory and visual hallucinations and examine the relationship between meta-cognition and predisposition in a non-psychi atric population. It also tested the: hypothesis that individuals highly pr edisposed to hallucination would show positive and negative meta-cognitive beliefs and report the use of different thought control strategies. Design. ii within participants correlational design was employed. Methods, A revised. LSHS was administered to 105 normal participants who we re also asked to complete questionnaires assessing paranoia, meta-cognitive beliefs, thought control strategies, anxiety, depression and beliefs about unusual perceptual experiences, Results. Tyro empirically distinct but correlated hallucinator!: traits (au ditory and visual) were measured by the modified LSHS. Consistent with pred ictions, it a as found that positive beliefs about unusual perceptual exper iences were the best predictor of predisposition to auditory and visual hal lucinations and that chose participants who stored higher on predisposition to hallucination used different thought control strategies and had differe nt negative meta-cognitive beliefs in comparison with participants of low p redisposition. Conclusions. Meta-cognitive beliefs about thoughts and hallucinaton; phenom ena appear to be implicated in predisposition to hallucination. The theoret ical and clinical implications of the findings art: discussed.