Conceptual sequencing and disordered speech in schizophrenia

Abstract

This study examined associations between impairments of attention, memory, and conceptual sequencing ability, and specific schizophrenia thought and language symptoms. Speech samples of stable schizophrenia outpatients were assessed for frequencies of six different types of communication failures. The classification of types of failures was based on hypothesized differences in underlying cognitive process. Frequencies of the four types of communication failures believed to involve language structural weaknesses all were significantly and fairly strongly related to conceptual sequencing ability. In addition, regression analyses indicated that each of these four types of communication failures was associated with a unique configuration of attentional, memorial, and conceptual sequencing processes. In contrast, the two types of communication disturbances not suggestive of language structural problems were not positively associated with any of the cognitive weaknesses assessed.