Communicative Responsibility and Semantic Task in Aphasia and “Schizophasia”

• Published in: Perceptual and motor skills Vol. 79; no. 2; pp. 1027 - 1039
• Main Authors: Goldfarb, Robert, Stocker, Beatrice, Eisenson, Jon, Desanti, Susan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-10-1994; Perceptual and Motor Skills, etc; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aphasia - diagnosis; Aphasia - psychology; Chronic Disease; Communication; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Interpersonal communication; Language; Male; Middle Aged; Neurological disorders; Neuropsychological Tests; Psychiatry; Reaction Time; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - diagnosis; Schizophrenic Language; Schizophrenic Psychology; Semantics; Speech Production Measurement; Verbal Behavior
• ISSN: 0031-5125; 1558-688X
• DOI: 10.2466/pms.1994.79.2.1027

A probe technique requiring convergent and divergent semantic behavior and representing five levels of communicative responsibility served as the research tool. Stimuli were presented to 29 aphasic adults (13 Broca's, 7 Wernicke's, and 9 anomic), 26 adults with chronic undifferentiated schizophrenia, and 32 normal elderly control subjects. Within each group significant differences were observed on the semantic task (convergent and divergent) and on level of communicative responsibility. Among subjects with aphasia, differences appeared to relate more to severity than type. Differences between unclassified aphasic and “schizophasic” groups occurred only when multiword responses were required. We conclude that continued use of the term “schizophasia” may be unwarranted and that the linguistic behaviors we observed in aphasia and the language of schizophrenia may contribute to differential diagnosis.