Subjective experience of language impairment and psychopathology in schizophrenia.
The principal concern of this paper lies in the exploration of the possible role of the subjective experience of language impairment in shaping schizophrenic symptomatology. A previous model embracing the basic symptom theory and the vulnerability paradigm hypothesized that (self-perceived) impairment of receptive and expressive language and alexithymia may play a relevant role in facilitating the development of a nonparanoid prototype of schizophrenia. The experimental protocol which led to this model [emphasizing the comprehensive notion of 'language capacity' as pathoplastic modulator of overt schizophrenic syndromes (i.e. pathoplastic model)] was replicated on a wider schizophrenic sample, assessing contextually with diagnostic symptoms, depressive symptoms, alexithymia, subjective experience of negative symptoms and hedonic capacity. Since schizophrenics with self-experienced language capacity impairment did not differ from other schizophrenics, as regards positive, negative and disorganized symptoms, but just in negative symptom-related distress, an alternative interpretation of the possible role of the subjective experience of language impairment in schizophrenic psychopathology is proposed (i.e. idioplastic hypothesis).
Maggini
Carlo
C
Institute of Psychiatry, University of Parma, Parma, Italy. carlo.maggini@unipr.it
Raballo
Andrea
A
Pelizza
Lorenzo
L
Paini
Matteo
M
Croci
Roberto
R
D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012559:Schizophrenia; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires