Validation of the Arabic version of the Launay-Slade Hallucination Scale Extended: A population-based online survey in Saudi-Arabia

Haya Althuwaini, Georg Meyer, Ryan Ward and Henry Meyer

PLOS ONE, 2026, vol. 21, issue 2, 1-14

Abstract: Hallucinations occur when individuals perceive sensory events as real despite the absence of external stimuli. The Launay-Slade Hallucination Scale Extended Version (LSHS-E) is a validated measure for assessing hallucination proneness and has been adapted into several languages. Numerous studies worldwide have examined the factor structure of the LSHS-E, yet none have focused on the Arabic language. This study, conducted in Saudi Arabia, aimed to validate the Arabic version of the LSHS-E and explore its factor structure in an Arabic-speaking population. Following translation and back-translation, the Arabic LSHS-E was distributed to a Saudi Arabian general population sample (n = 428) via the Qualtrics Platform. Reliability was confirmed with high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.916; 95% CI: 0.904–0.927). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a four-factor model—comprising intrusive thoughts, vivid daydreams, multisensory HLEs, and auditory and visual HLEs—provided the best fit for the data (CFI = 0.93, RMSEA = 0.07, SRMR = 0.05). Positive correlations between LSHS-E scores and psychotic symptoms measured by the positive subscale of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (PCAPE) supported convergent validity (rs = 0.55, p

Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0341864

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0341864

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