Formal Thought Disorder in Schizophrenia: A Problematic History

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Linguistics
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Formal thought disorder (FTD) is a long-standing symptom associated with schizophrenia.
• FTD presents significant challenges for patients and clinicians alike.
• Historical perspectives on FTD predate the concept of schizophrenia itself.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review historical and contemporary views on formal thought disorder.
• To analyze the evolution of FTD concepts and their impact on clinical assessment.
• To propose a more comprehensive approach to studying FTD.

Main Methods:

• A review of literature on language, paralinguistic, and extralinguistic features in severe mental illness.
• Examination of contributions from 19th-century European authors to late 20th-century research.
• Analysis of the historical construction and conceptualization of FTD.

Main Results:

• FTD's conceptualization evolved through various theories like archaic thinking, paralogical thinking, and concretism.
• The selection of specific FTD features for study has altered the phenomenon itself.
• Some empirically disproved or problematic theories of FTD remain in use.

Conclusions:

• The historical selection of FTD features has inadvertently changed the phenomenon studied.
• Certain outdated or discriminatory theories of FTD persist.
• Future FTD research should consider communication's full complexity, including pragmatic, paralinguistic, and non-verbal dimensions.