# Psychometric evaluation of the Persian version of the Beliefs About Voices Questionnaire: revised in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders

## TL;DR

This study evaluates the reliability and validity of a Persian version of a questionnaire measuring beliefs about hearing voices in people with schizophrenia.

## Contribution

The study provides psychometric validation of the Persian version of the BAVQ-R for use in Iran.

## Key findings

- The Persian BAVQ-R has a four-factor structure with excellent model fit and internal consistency.
- Subscales correlate as expected with measures of hallucinations, delusions, depression, and quality of life.
- The questionnaire is reliable and valid for assessing beliefs about voices in Iranian patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

## Abstract

The Beliefs About Voices Questionnaire-Revised (BAVQ-R) is a widely used measure in research and clinical settings designed to assess beliefs about auditory hallucinations and the corresponding response styles. Despite its common usage, the psychometric properties of the BAVQ-R are understudied. This study aimed to contribute to this gap in the literature by examining the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the BAVQ-R in Iran.

A total of 298 patients diagnosed with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder (aged 19–50 years; M = 37.32, SD = 1.14; 85.23% male) were recruited from Razi Hospital in Tehran. Participants completed the BAVQ-R alongside self-report measures (e.g., the Beck Depression Inventory-II [BDI-II] and the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale [SQLS]) and underwent interview-based assessments (e.g., the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales [PSYRATS] and the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia [CDSS]).

A confirmatory factor analysis supported a 31-item four-factor model comprising two belief subscales (Malevolence/Omnipotence and Benevolence) and two response subscales (Resistance and Engagement), with excellent model fit indices (CFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.042). The subscales demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s ω = 0.91–0.95) and correlated in theoretically consistent ways with external constructs (e.g., measures of hallucinations, delusions, depression, and quality of life).

Findings suggest that the Persian BAVQ-R is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing beliefs about voices and response styles in Iranian patients with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder. These findings support its use in both research and clinical settings and suggest avenues for further research to explore its applicability across different populations and settings.

Not applicable.