Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
Quantitative criteria of narrative coherence and complexity in persons with paranoid schizophrenia
1Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Seville, Sevilla, Spain. fjsaavedra@us.es
Abstract:
Narrative coherence and complexity have been considered as key concepts for understanding therapeutic improvement and recovery of persons with severe mental disorders. The main aim of this article is to study coherence and complexity of 18 life narratives of persons with paranoid schizophrenia by thirty quantitative analysis criteria. Two groups of patients were evaluated: a group of 9 patients recently admitted to specific Care Homes for people with severe mental disorders (G1) and another group of 9 patients who had been at the same Care Homes for a longer period of time (G2). Differences in patients' life narratives between 2 groups are explored. The analysis is divided into 3 phases. The first is called "analysis of lack of cohesion and delusional content"; the second "thematic analysis"; and the third "structural analysis". Results show that life narratives of long stay patients are more coherent and structured.
Related Concept Videos
Personality Disorders: Paranoid and Schizoid
Paranoid Personality Disorder
Paranoid personality disorder is...
Schizophrenia
Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...
Personality Disorders: Schizotypal and Histrionic
Schizotypal Personality Disorder: Eccentric Behavior and Social Withdrawal
Schizotypal personality disorder is marked by odd or eccentric...
Psychosis: Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within the...
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
