Background and objective:

Schizophrenia is characterized by a distortion of thin-king, perceptions, emotions, language, self-awareness, and behaviour. It affects more than 21 million people worldwide and is one of the 10 most disabling diseases according to the World Health Organization. However, there is little evidence of language deficits in patients with schizophrenia.

Method:

This is a cross-sectional and quasi-experimental study in which the data of the evaluation of different linguistic tests in the areas of semantics and phonology are analysed. The sample consisted of 96 subjects, 48 of whom (50%) had schizophrenia and made up the experimental group and other 48 (50%) had no mental illness and made up the control group. According to the classification of Crow, 56.2% (27 subjects) presented with positive symptomatology and 43.8% (21 subjects) presented with negative symptoms.

Results:

A deficit pattern according to the symptomatology was observed, as well as an affectation of all the areas examined in the study (semantics and phonology).

Conclusions:

schizophrenia involves a linguistic deficit in semantics and phonology. It is necessary to assess these linguistic areas in order to intervene from a multidisciplinary approach, including speech therapy.

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