My Friends, My Voices and Me: A Mixed-methods Investigation Exploring Commonalities and Differences of Sensory Hallucinations and Imaginary Companions

儿童声音听觉的起源一直在争论。孩子们参与想象的游戏，但我特别感兴趣的是它如何以及何时成为一个问题。这个博士学位是一个独特的机会来研究这个问题的影响因素。儿童可能会听到声音的各种原因与心理和生物因素有关，这将是有趣的，以调查他们如何看待他们和他们对他们的感觉。声音听觉和感觉幻觉往往有负面的联系。然而，我怀疑这是否总是个人的情况下，根据我的经验，作为一名护士，与人谁认为他们在一个积极的方式，并会非常痛苦，如果这是从他们被带走。父母的反应和管理的方式可以决定的经验对孩子的社会和情感健康的影响。它也会影响孩子与这些经历的整体联系和关系。因此，不仅要了解孩子对这些经历的看法，还要了解它对父母的影响。探索为什么有些人在成年前这些经历就停止了，但在其他人的整个成年期继续下去，这将是很有趣的。根据学生的目的和目标，我渴望加强对影响因素的理解，以了解年轻人如何感知和体验感官幻觉和想象中的同伴。与这一人群的定性调查产生结果的独特机会是令人兴奋的，再加上对想象中的同伴和感官幻觉的基础的定性调查，我相信，实现这一目标的混合方法将产生有助于知识的结果。此外，结果将提高这些问题的理解，为那些与这个客户群密切合作。在准备这个博士学位，我已经完成了进一步的研究，包括马斯特里赫特采访都听到的声音和宗教信仰，家庭干预培训和联合CAMHS/EIS研讨会。我目前还在完成心理学硕士学位，我将于2019年9月完成。

The origins of voice hearing in children have been debated over time. Children participate in imaginary play, but I am particularly interested in how and when it becomes a problem. This PhD is a unique opportunity to examine influencing factors to this issue. Children may hear voices for a variety of reasons relating to both psychological and biological factors, it would be interesting to investigate how they perceive them and how they feel about them. Voice hearing and sensory hallucinations tend to have a negative association. However, I question whether this is always the case for the individual based my experience as a nurse working with people who perceive them in a positive manner and would be greatly distressed if this was taken away from them.The way in which parents respond and manage can determine the effect the experiences have on a child's social and emotional wellbeing. It can also impact on the child's overall association and relationship with these experiences. Therefore, it is crucial to not only understand the child's perception of the experiences, but also how it implicates on the parents.It would be interesting to explore why in some people these experiences stop before adulthood, but continue in others throughout their adulthood.As per aim and objectives of the studentship, I aspire to enhance the understanding of influencing factors to how sensory hallucinations and imaginary companions are perceived and experienced by young people. The unique opportunity to produce results from qualitative inquiry with this population is exciting and coupled with the qualitative investigation of the underpinnings of imaginary companions and sensory hallucinations, I am confident that the mixed methods approach to this aim will produce results that will contribute to knowledge. Additionally, the results will enhance understanding of these issues for those working closely with this client group.In preparation for this PhD I have completed further studies including the Maastricht Interviewing for both Hearing Voices and Usual Beliefs, Family Intervention training and joint CAMHS/EIS workshops. I am also currently completing an MSc in Psychology which I am due to complete September 2019.