title: Object chaining and thought disorder in schizophrenic speech.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston.
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Manschreck
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maher
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Celada
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schneyer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fernandez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012564:Schizophrenic Language; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012660:Semantics; D013850:Thinking; D014705:Verbal Behavior