What does the Unpleasant Voices Scale (UVS) measure?

The Unpleasant Voices Scale (UVS) is specifically designed to assess the intensity of auditory hallucinations. This scale captures the subjective experience of individuals who hear voices, focusing on the distressing or unpleasant nature of these experiences. This can include evaluating the volume of the voices, how often they occur, and the level of distress caused by them, which are critical components in understanding an individual's mental health status, particularly in conditions like schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders.

While overall mood, social interactions, and sleep quality are important areas of mental health assessment, they are not the focus of the UVS. The scale is narrowly tailored to give insights into the distress related to auditory experiences, making it a valuable tool in both clinical settings and research focused on understanding and treating auditory hallucinations.