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Stress reactivity of emotional and verbal speech content in schizophrenia
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Stress reactivity of emotional and verbal speech content in schizophrenia

Margaret Dombrowski, Amanda McCleery, Stanford W Gregory Jr and Nancy M Docherty
The journal of nervous and mental disease, Vol.202(8), pp.608-612
08/2014
DOI: 10.1097/NMD.0000000000000169
PMID: 25010108

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Abstract

Speech fundamental frequencies (SFFs) are nonverbal sound frequencies that convey emotion in speech. The degree of SFF long-term averaged spectra (LTAS) convergence between conversants reflects aspects of conversant-reported quality of the interaction (e.g., emotional synchrony). This study investigated whether SFF LTAS convergence between inpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia (n = 20) and an interviewer was associated with severity of illness (SOI), formal speech disturbance (FSD), and stress reactivity of FSD. Participants provided speech samples describing stressful and nonstressful life experiences. In the stress condition, SFF LTAS was negatively correlated with SOI and FSD. Moreover, patients exhibiting stress reactivity of FSD also evidenced stress reactivity of SFF LTAS. These findings suggest that the emotional and verbal contents of speech are disrupted by stress in schizophrenia, and SOI is associated with FSD and reduced emotional communication during stressful conditions. The interaction between stress reactivity of FSD and SFF LTAS supports the construct validity of a reactivity dimension in schizophrenia.
 Emotions - physiology Verbal Behavior - physiology Humans Middle Aged Male Schizophrenic Psychology Stress, Psychological - psychology Stress, Psychological - diagnosis Speech - physiology Schizophrenia - diagnosis Schizophrenia - physiopathology Adult Female Stress, Psychological - physiopathology

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