title: Lexical analysis in schizophrenia: how emotion and social word use informs our understanding of clinical presentation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The words people use convey important information about internal states, feelings, and views of the world around them. Lexical analysis is a fast, reliable method of assessing word use that has shown promise for linking speech content, particularly in emotion and social categories, with psychopathological symptoms. However, few studies have utilized lexical analysis instruments to assess speech in schizophrenia. In this exploratory study, we investigated whether positive emotion, negative emotion, and social word use was associated with schizophrenia symptoms, metacognition, and general functioning in a schizophrenia cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-six participants generated speech during a semi-structured interview, and word use categories were assessed using a validated lexical analysis measure. Trained research staff completed symptom, metacognition, and functioning ratings using semi-structured interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Word use categories significantly predicted all variables of interest, accounting for 28% of the variance in symptoms and 16% of the variance in metacognition and general functioning. Anger words, a subcategory of negative emotion, significantly predicted greater symptoms and lower functioning. Social words significantly predicted greater metacognition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate that lexical analysis instruments have the potential to play a vital role in psychosocial assessments of schizophrenia. Future research should replicate these findings and examine the relationship between word use and additional clinical variables across the schizophrenia-spectrum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA. Electronic address: ksminor@iupui.edu.
authors.forename: Kyle S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Minor
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Kelsey A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Bonfils
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luther
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Ruth L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Firmin
authors.affiliation: Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kukla
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Victoria R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: MacLain
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Buck
authors.affiliation: Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Paul H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Lysaker
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Salyers
mesh_terms: D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000209:etiology*; D032882:Comprehension; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012919:Social Behavior; D014825:Vocabulary
keywords: Metacognition; Negative emotion; Schizophrenia; Social functioning; Speech