From semantic concreteness to concretism in schizophrenia: An automated linguistic analysis of speech produced in figurative language interpretation

• DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/pxjb7
• Publication Date: 2024-06-26T18:30:51Z
• Authors: Valentina Bambini; Federico Frau; Luca Bischetti; Agostoni Giulia; Cristian Mevio; Chiara Battaglini; Margherita Bechi; Mariachiara Buono...; Jacopo Sapienza; Marco Spangaro; Carmelo Guglielmino; Federica Cocchi; Roberto Cavallaro; Marta Bosia
• Keywords: Concreteness; Semantic interpretation

Lack of abstract thinking, known as concretism, is a well-known psychopathological feature schizophrenia, reflecting the tendency to adhere concrete aspects stimuli and difficulties in understanding figurative language. Inspired by similarity between “concretism” defined psychopathology “concreteness” linguistics, namely semantic dimension linked perceptual experience, we tested novel hypothesis that impairment deriving meanings related at level, involving concreteness. We analyzed speech samples from 63 patients with schizophrenia 47 controls, who were asked verbalize meaning idioms, metaphors, proverbs. By automatically extracting linguistic features speech, observed patients’ answers exhibited higher word concreteness values measure imageability, especially proverbs, while not differing controls’ ones lexical richness time composition. Concreteness verbalizations negatively predicted their ability understand proverbs global pragmatic cognitive profile. This study supports idea concretism rooted semantics, linking interpretations bias towards words. In this view, language can be seen difficulty abstracting away perceptual-related properties associated inputs, broader context multisensory integration disruption. Furthermore, discloses new areas interest for automated analysis psychosis, pointing importance considering better characterization profiles identifying clinically relevant dimensions.