HIT, hallucination focused integrative treatment as early intervention in psychotic adolescents with auditory hallucinations: a pilot study

Objective: Early intervention in psychosis is considered important in relapse prevention. Limited results of monotherapies prompt to development of multimodular programmes. The present study tests feasibility and effectiveness of HIT, an integrative early intervention treatment for auditory hallucinations, in community psychiatry. Method: Adolescents with auditory hallucinations consecutively referred to Groningen Voices Outpatient Department. Independent research staff collected diagnosis, sociodemographics, psychiatric history, former treatment and current treatment status from medical files. The auditory Hallucinations Rating Scale, Groningen Social Disabilities Scale and five-point rating scales on characteristics and subjective burden of voices, and satisfaction with therapy were scored with semi-structured interview. Results: Good compliance and high satisfaction with HIT treatment in most cases; 65% free of voices; majority demonstrates substantial improvement on mastery, anxiety, interference with thinking and social functioning; none worsened. Conclusion: Integrative treatment as composed in the HIT-programme is feasible in community psychiatry and appears to be an effective early intervention in adolescents with schizophrenia both in reducing psychotic symptoms as improving quality of life.