Intervening on Negative Voices in Daily Life: Preliminary Findings of the Temstem RCT

While most voice hearers benefit from antipsychotic medication or cognitive behavior therapy, additional effective interventions are needed to reduce the burden of experiencing AVH, especially in everyday life. ‘Temstem’ is an easily accessible and usable smartphone application that was developed by designers in close cooperation with voice hearers and experts. By using language games, Temstem aims to reduce distress and improve social functioning. Methods: A single-blind multicenter RCT with two arms: ‘Temstem + AVH monitoring’ versus ‘AVH monitoring’. Participants are adult patients with AVH and are recruited in outpatient units. Primary assessment in daily life is made by experience sampling method (ESM) and daily monitoring with the PsyMate app. There are three 6-day ESM periods: at baseline (week 0-1), post-treatment (week 5-6) and follow-up (week 9-10). In addition, during the entire 10-week study period, all participants monitor their AVH two times a day with a short assessment via the PsyMate app. Participants in the Temstem + AVH monitoring condition are provided with the Temstem app from weeks 1-6. Other assessments made at baseline, post-treatment and follow-up are based on questionnaires and a clinical interview. Results: The preliminary results of this study (the study is scheduled to be completed in July 2018) will provide an evaluation of the effectiveness of Temstem, a non-invasive and easily accessible app for voice hearers, and insight into the determinants of optimal use. Conclusions: If Temstem is found to be effective, many voice hearers can be reached at low costs.