Impaired verbal self-monitoring in individuals at high risk of psychosis

L.C. Johns; Paul Allen; Isabel Valli; Toby T. Winton-Brown; Matthew Broome; J. Woolley; P. Tabraham; Fern Day; Oliver Howes; T. Wykes; Philip McGuire

doi:10.1017/S0033291709991991

Impaired verbal self-monitoring in individuals at high risk of psychosis

L.C. Johns, Paul Allen, Isabel Valli, Toby T. Winton-Brown, Matthew Broome, J. Woolley, P. Tabraham, Fern Day, Oliver Howes, T. Wykes, Philip McGuire

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

Abstract

Background. Cognitive models suggest that auditory verbal hallucinations arise through defective self-monitoring and the external attribution of inner speech. We used a paradigm that engages verbal self-monitoring (VSM) to examine whether this process is impaired in people experiencing prodromal symptoms, who have a very high risk of developing psychosis.Method. We tested 31 individuals with an At-Risk Mental State (ARMS) and 31 healthy volunteers. Participants read single adjectives aloud while the source and pitch of the online auditory verbal feedback was manipulated, then immediately identified the source of the speech they heard (Self/Other/Unsure). Response choice and reaction time were recorded.Results. When reading aloud with distorted feedback of their own voice, ARMS participants made more errors than controls (misidentifications and unsure responses). ARMS participants misidentified the source of their speech as 'Other' when the level of acoustic distortion was severe, and misidentification errors were inversely related to reaction times.Conclusions. Impaired VSM is evident in people with an ARMS, although the deficit seems to be less marked than in patients with schizophrenia. Follow-up of these participants may clarify the extent to which the severity of this impairment predicts the subsequent onset of psychosis and development of positive symptoms.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1433-1442
Journal	Psychological Medicine
Volume	40
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291709991991
Publication status	Published - 2010

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10.1017/S0033291709991991

http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0033291709991991

Cite this

@article{9a2efc5d38e34e229c251e2586f70e54,

title = "Impaired verbal self-monitoring in individuals at high risk of psychosis",

abstract = "Background. Cognitive models suggest that auditory verbal hallucinations arise through defective self-monitoring and the external attribution of inner speech. We used a paradigm that engages verbal self-monitoring (VSM) to examine whether this process is impaired in people experiencing prodromal symptoms, who have a very high risk of developing psychosis.Method. We tested 31 individuals with an At-Risk Mental State (ARMS) and 31 healthy volunteers. Participants read single adjectives aloud while the source and pitch of the online auditory verbal feedback was manipulated, then immediately identified the source of the speech they heard (Self/Other/Unsure). Response choice and reaction time were recorded.Results. When reading aloud with distorted feedback of their own voice, ARMS participants made more errors than controls (misidentifications and unsure responses). ARMS participants misidentified the source of their speech as 'Other' when the level of acoustic distortion was severe, and misidentification errors were inversely related to reaction times.Conclusions. Impaired VSM is evident in people with an ARMS, although the deficit seems to be less marked than in patients with schizophrenia. Follow-up of these participants may clarify the extent to which the severity of this impairment predicts the subsequent onset of psychosis and development of positive symptoms.",

author = "L.C. Johns and Paul Allen and Isabel Valli and Winton-Brown, {Toby T.} and Matthew Broome and J. Woolley and P. Tabraham and Fern Day and Oliver Howes and T. Wykes and Philip McGuire",

year = "2010",

doi = "10.1017/S0033291709991991",

language = "English",

volume = "40",

pages = "1433--1442",

journal = "Psychological Medicine",

issn = "0033-2917",

publisher = "Cambridge University Press",

number = "9",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Impaired verbal self-monitoring in individuals at high risk of psychosis

AU - Johns, L.C.

AU - Allen, Paul

AU - Valli, Isabel

AU - Winton-Brown, Toby T.

AU - Broome, Matthew

AU - Woolley, J.

AU - Tabraham, P.

AU - Day, Fern

AU - Howes, Oliver

AU - Wykes, T.

AU - McGuire, Philip

PY - 2010

Y1 - 2010

N2 - Background. Cognitive models suggest that auditory verbal hallucinations arise through defective self-monitoring and the external attribution of inner speech. We used a paradigm that engages verbal self-monitoring (VSM) to examine whether this process is impaired in people experiencing prodromal symptoms, who have a very high risk of developing psychosis.Method. We tested 31 individuals with an At-Risk Mental State (ARMS) and 31 healthy volunteers. Participants read single adjectives aloud while the source and pitch of the online auditory verbal feedback was manipulated, then immediately identified the source of the speech they heard (Self/Other/Unsure). Response choice and reaction time were recorded.Results. When reading aloud with distorted feedback of their own voice, ARMS participants made more errors than controls (misidentifications and unsure responses). ARMS participants misidentified the source of their speech as 'Other' when the level of acoustic distortion was severe, and misidentification errors were inversely related to reaction times.Conclusions. Impaired VSM is evident in people with an ARMS, although the deficit seems to be less marked than in patients with schizophrenia. Follow-up of these participants may clarify the extent to which the severity of this impairment predicts the subsequent onset of psychosis and development of positive symptoms.

AB - Background. Cognitive models suggest that auditory verbal hallucinations arise through defective self-monitoring and the external attribution of inner speech. We used a paradigm that engages verbal self-monitoring (VSM) to examine whether this process is impaired in people experiencing prodromal symptoms, who have a very high risk of developing psychosis.Method. We tested 31 individuals with an At-Risk Mental State (ARMS) and 31 healthy volunteers. Participants read single adjectives aloud while the source and pitch of the online auditory verbal feedback was manipulated, then immediately identified the source of the speech they heard (Self/Other/Unsure). Response choice and reaction time were recorded.Results. When reading aloud with distorted feedback of their own voice, ARMS participants made more errors than controls (misidentifications and unsure responses). ARMS participants misidentified the source of their speech as 'Other' when the level of acoustic distortion was severe, and misidentification errors were inversely related to reaction times.Conclusions. Impaired VSM is evident in people with an ARMS, although the deficit seems to be less marked than in patients with schizophrenia. Follow-up of these participants may clarify the extent to which the severity of this impairment predicts the subsequent onset of psychosis and development of positive symptoms.

U2 - 10.1017/S0033291709991991

DO - 10.1017/S0033291709991991

M3 - Article

SN - 0033-2917

VL - 40

SP - 1433

EP - 1442

JO - Psychological Medicine

JF - Psychological Medicine

IS - 9

ER -