The varieties of inner speech questionnaire – Revised (VISQ-R): Replicating and refining links between inner speech and psychopathology

Alderson-Day, B.; Mitrenga, K.; Wilkinson, S.; McCarthy-Jones, S.; Fernyhough, C.

Abstract

Inner speech is a common experience for many but hard to measure empirically. The Varieties of Inner Speech Questionnaire (VISQ) has been used to link everyday phenomenology of inner speech – such as inner dialogue – to various psychopathological traits. However, positive and supportive aspects of inner speech have not always been captured. This study presents a revised version of the scale – the VISQ-R – based on factor analyses in two large samples: respondents to a survey on inner speech and reading (N = 1412) and a sample of university students (N = 377). Exploratory factor analysis indicated a five-factor structure including three previous subscales (dialogic, condensed, and other people in inner speech), an evaluative/critical factor, and a new positive/regulatory factor. Confirmatory factor analysis then replicated this structure in sample 2. Hierarchical regression analyses also replicated a number of relations between inner speech, hallucination-proneness, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and dissociation.

Citation

Alderson-Day, B., Mitrenga, K., Wilkinson, S., McCarthy-Jones, S., & Fernyhough, C. (2018). The varieties of inner speech questionnaire – Revised (VISQ-R): Replicating and refining links between inner speech and psychopathology. Consciousness and Cognition, 65, 48-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2018.07.001

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 2, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Jul 13, 2018
• Publication Date: Oct 1, 2018
• Deposit Date: Jul 13, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 17, 2018
• Journal: Consciousness and Cognition
• Print ISSN: 1053-8100
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 65
• Pages: 48-58
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2018.07.001
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1321116