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Object chaining and thought disorder in schizophrenic speech

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

T. C. Manschreck ,
B. Maher ,
M. T. Celada ,
M. Schneyer  and
R. Fernandez
T. C. Manschreck*
Affiliation:
Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, USA
B. Maher
Affiliation:
Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, USA
M. T. Celada
Affiliation:
Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, USA
M. Schneyer
Affiliation:
Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, USA
R. Fernandez
Affiliation:
Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, USA
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Theo C. Manschreck, New Hampshire Hospital, Dartmouth Medical School, 105 Pleasant Street, Concord, New Hampshire 03301, USA.
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Synopsis

The phenomenon of object chaining was investigated to determine its relationship to thought disorder in schizophrenia. Samples from thought-disordered schizophrenics (N = 12) and controls (10 non-thought-disordered schizophrenics and 10 normals) were analysed. Using the object subject ratio (OSR) to measure object chaining, we found higher OSRs in the speech of thought-disordered subjects than in that of subjects free of thought disorder. Object chaining correlated with low predictability of speech. We conclude that object chaining is associated with reduced speech comprehensibility and probably contributes to the judgement that thought disorder is present.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , May 1991 , pp. 443 - 446
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

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