Psychopathology and language behavior in schizophrenics

Verbal samples of 30 schizophrenics were analyzed using the Social Alienation--Personal Disorganization (Schizophrenic) Scale developed by Gottschalk and Gleser (1969). The psychopathological status of all patients had been assessed in a semistandardized interview (Present State Examination, Wing et al., 1974). A relatively close relationship was found between 'productive' or 'plus' symptoms and syndromes of psychosis and the scores on the content analytic scale. On the other hand, no significant relationship existed with the 'minus' symptomatology and no relationship with the 'residual syndrome' and the neurotic syndromes. The Schizophrenic Scale may allow a sufficiently reliable estimate of the degree of psychosis. There was no significant effect attributable to sociodemographic factors and to the course of illness (disregarding the duration of the present hospitalization).