Psychology RootsBeliefs About Voices Questionnaire
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About Beliefs About Voices Questionnaire
Scale Name
Beliefs About Voices Questionnaire – Revised (BAVQ-R)
Author Details
Paul Chadwick, Susan Lees and Max Birchwood
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The BAVQ-R is a self-report measure designed to assess people’s beliefs, emotions, and behaviours in relation to auditory hallucinations (voices).
The original model underlying the questionnaire posits that beyond the perceptual content of voices, it is the meaning attributed to them — such as malevolence, benevolence, and omnipotence — that influences how distressing they are and how individuals react (e.g., resistance vs engagement).
In response to limitations in the earlier version (BAVQ) — particularly its yes/no response format and insufficient items measuring omnipotence — the BAVQ-R was developed by adding items and moving to a 4-point Likert scale (0 = disagree, 1 = unsure, 2 = agree slightly, 3 = agree strongly).
It contains 35 items across five sub-scales: malevolence (6 items), benevolence (6 items), omnipotence (6 items), resistance (9 items: behaviour + emotion), and engagement (8 items: behaviour + emotion).
The BAVQ-R is widely used in clinical research on voice hearing (such as in schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and other psychoses) and is useful for both assessment and outcome measurement (for example in cognitive behavioural therapy for voices).
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a licensed copy of the BAVQ-R questionnaire (via the authors or appropriate publisher).
- Explain to the respondent that the tool concerns their dominant voice (if more than one) and explores how they think and feel about it.
- Provide instructions: Respondents are asked to read each statement and, over the past week, select one of four responses (0 = Disagree, 1 = Unsure, 2 = Agree slightly, 3 = Agree strongly).
- Approximate time: The questionnaire can be completed in about 5–10 minutes, depending on the respondent’s pace.
- Score: For each of the five sub-scales sum the item scores. Optionally obtain total score or interpret sub-scale profiles (e.g., high omnipotence + high resistance may indicate a particular clinical pattern).
- Use the results to inform formulation (for example, focusing on voice power beliefs) or to monitor change over time (pre- and post-intervention).
Reliability and Validity
- In the validation sample of 71 participants with chronic auditory hallucinations, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the five sub-scales ranged from 0.74 to 0.88, with a mean of 0.86.
- The BAVQ-R showed improved measurement sensitivity compared to the original BAVQ, particularly for the omnipotence construct.
- Construct validity: Strong correlations were found between malevolence and resistance (r = 0.68), between benevolence and engagement (r = 0.80), and links between these sub-scales and anxiety/depression measured via the HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale).
- The measure is considered clinically useful for profiling voice–hearer beliefs and guiding cognitive-behavioural interventions.
- Limitations: The BAVQ-R assesses the dominant voice and does not cover all phenomenological aspects of voice-hearing (e.g., form, frequency) or origin of voices.
Available Versions
35-Items
Reference
Chadwick, P., Lees, S., & Birchwood, M. A. X. (2000). The revised beliefs about voices questionnaire (BAVQ–R). The British Journal of Psychiatry, 177(3), 229-232.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Who is the BAVQ-R designed for?
It is designed for individuals who experience auditory hallucinations (voices) and are able to complete a self-report questionnaire or guided assessment.
Q2: What does a high score on the Omnipotence sub-scale indicate?
A high score suggests the individual perceives the voice as very powerful, controlling, or able to know everything about them — a belief linked with increased distress and behavioural resistance.
Q3: Can the BAVQ-R be used in treatment monitoring?
Yes — changes in sub-scale scores (for example reduction in malevolence beliefs or increased engagement) can be used to evaluate response to psychological interventions.
Q4: Does the BAVQ-R diagnose psychosis?
No — the scale does not diagnose schizophrenia or any psychiatric disorder. It assesses beliefs about voices, which may appear in various conditions.
Q5: How much time is required to complete it?
Approximately 5 to 10 minutes under standard conditions.
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