Relationship between thought and language disorder with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and sociodemographic characteristics in patients with schizophrenia

Abstract

Objective: Thought disorders are one of the important and less understood characteristics of schizophrenia. Thought disorder is generally considered in two parts as thought content and thought process. However, it has been suggested that thought disorder in schizophrenia is strongly related to impairment in thought process. Thought and language disorder in schizophrenia is known to be associated with particular clinical symptoms. The aim of this study is to investigate relationship between thought and language disorder and subscales and items of PANSS in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: This study was conducted with 176 patients who met DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia. Sociodemographic data form, Thought and Language Index (TLI) and Positive and Negative Syn-drome Scale (PANSS) were administered to the patients. Results: TLI score was significantly correlated with posi-tive, negative, general psychopathology subscale scores and total score of PANSS. When the relationship between TLI and items of PANSS was evaluated; conceptual disorganization (P2), suspiciousness/persecution (P6), blunted affect (N1), emotional withdrawal (N2), difficulty in abstract thinking (N5), lack of spontaneity and flow of conver-sation (N6), motor retardation (G7) and unusual thought content (G9) items of PANSS were significantly correlated with TLI. Conclusion: Thought and language disorder was found related with positive, negative, general psycho-pathology subscales of PANSS.