Referential communication disturbances in the speech of nonschizophrenic siblings of schizophrenia patients.
Several different types of communication disturbances have been identified in the speech of schizophrenia patients. This study assessed 6 types of referential communication disturbances in the speech of 32 stable outpatients, 23 of their nonschizophrenic siblings, and 27 control subjects. The siblings made more frequent reference failures of all types than control subjects and did not differ from the patients on most types of disturbance. Only on the arguably most "schizophrenic" type of disturbance, the missing information reference, did patients show more deviance than siblings. On the vague reference, siblings showed more deviance than patients. These results, which are very similar to those previously reported on parents of patients, support the idea that referential disturbances reflect vulnerability to schizophrenia.
Docherty
Nancy M
NM
Department of Psychology.
Gordinier
Scott W
SW
Department of Psychology.
Hall
Michael J
MJ
Department of Psychology.
Dombrowski
Margaret E
ME
Department of Psychology.
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D001364:Awareness; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D012564:Schizophrenic Language; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012660:Semantics; D035781:Siblings / Q000523:psychology; D014705:Verbal Behavior