A scientific study into the effects of Temstem, an app for voice hearers

INTERVENTION: Participants are randomly allocated to one of two study arms. Group 1: Participants receive AVH monitoring only. AVH monitoring means that AVH will be monitored daily in a 30 second assessment via a smartphone application, the PSYMATE (www.psymate.eu). Group 2: Participants receive AVH monitoring in addition to being provided with Temstem. Temstem is a smartphone application that was developed to reduce the burden of voices and to help people with AVH to experience more control over their voices. The temstem app uses language games that can be played at any moment and require little cognitive effort. Temstem is based on three principles. First, temstem can be used as a tool to cope with AVH. By activating the language production areas in the brain while doing a motoric task, temstem aims to temporarily suppress AVH. Second, the temstem app reinforces and supports the user in such a way that it enhances self‐esteem. Third, Temstem contains a potential therapeutic mechanism as playing language games while recalling an episodic memory of hearing voices may reduce the vividness and emotionality of AVH. CONDITION: Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) in patients diagnosed with a psychotic disorder ; Mental and Behavioural Disorders ; Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) in patients diagnosed with a psychotic disorder PRIMARY OUTCOME: Levels of distress and of social functioning are measured using the Experience Sampling Method (psymate.eu) at baseline, 5 weeks (with daily monitoring for 6 days), as from baseline to six weeks as well as the with the daily monitoring function of the ESM SECONDARY OUTCOME: 1. Frequency and severity of AVH, distress and negative influence on social functioning caused by AVH are measured using experience sampling daily from baseline to 1 week and week 5 to 6, the daily monitoring function of the ESM daily from week 1 to 6 and the Auditory Hallucinations Rating Scale (AHRS) at baseline, 1, 5, 6, and 9 weeks; 2. Power and ability to cope are measured using the Beliefs about voices questionnaire revised (BAVQ‐R) and ESM at baseline, 1, 5, 6, and 9 weeks; 3. Power in social rank to AVH is measured using the Voice Power Differential Scale (VPDS) at baseline, 1, 5, 6, and 9 weeks; 4. Social rank to AVH is measured using the Social Comparison Rating Scale To Voices (SCRS) at baseline, 1, 5, 6, and 9 weeks; 5. Self‐Esteem is measured using the Self‐Esteem Rating Scale ‐ Short form (SERS‐F) at baseline, 1, 5, 6, and 9 weeks; 6. Depression symptoms are measured using the Beck Depression Inventory second edition (BDI‐II) at baseline, 1, 5, 6, and 9 weeks ; 7. Quality of life is measured using the Manchester short assessment of quality of life (MANSA) at baseline, 1, 5, 6, and 9 weeks; 8. Quality of life, including disturbance to it by AVH is measured using the PsyQ Kwaliteit van leven (KWAL) at baseline, 1, 5, 6, and 9 weeks; 9. Paranoid ideations are measured using the Paranoid thought scales (GPTS) and ESM at baseline, 1, 5, 6, and 9 weeks INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Aged 18 to 75 years 2. Presence of AVH (with distress) for longer than a month 3. Presence of AVH during a minimum of four days a week, in at least three of the last four weeks