Linguistic analysis of autobiographical narratives in unipolar and bipolar mood disorders in light of multiple code theory

Mariani, Rachele; Trani, Michela Di; Negri, Atta' Ambrogio Maria; Tambelli, Renata

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2020.03.170

Cited by 20 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…It should also be noted that in a lockdown period people may not be willing to describe their internal states without the supportive function that the relationship with a clinician can offer. In fact, in order for selfreport measures to have good validity, the individuals completing them must be able to accurately assess their internal states; this can limit their utility, especially in clinical populations (64). In future research, utilizing a clinical interview would provide a more accurate assessment of participants' health status.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Coping Strategies and Perceived Family Support on Depressive and Anxious Symptomatology During the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19) Lockdown

et al. 2020

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Coping Strategies and Perceived Family Support on Depressive and Anxious Symptomatology During the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19) Lockdown

et al. 2020

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“…This study takes as a point of reference the theories and research of Bucci (1997Bucci ( , 2013 and Pennebaker (1982Pennebaker ( , 2011, which connect the linguistic qualities of speech to specific psychological and interpersonal processes. Bucci (1997Bucci ( , 2013 (Maskit and Murphy, 2011;Maskit, 2012;Mariani et al, 2013Mariani et al, , 2020Negri et al, 2019) have developed computerized linguistic measures of what they call the "referential process, " which is based on Multiple Code Theory (MCT). The referential process is the ability of human beings to translate the continuous and indistinct flow of emotional and sensorial experience into images and words, thus making it mentally manageable and communicable to others.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… Bucci (1997 , 2013 ) ( Maskit and Murphy, 2011 ; Maskit, 2012 ; Mariani et al, 2013 , 2020 ; Negri et al, 2019 ) have developed computerized linguistic measures of what they call the “referential process,” which is based on Multiple Code Theory (MCT). The referential process is the ability of human beings to translate the continuous and indistinct flow of emotional and sensorial experience into images and words, thus making it mentally manageable and communicable to others.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linguistic Markers of the Emotion Elaboration Surrounding the Confinement Period in the Italian Epicenter of COVID-19 Outbreak

et al. 2020

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The expressive writing method has rarely been proposed in contexts of large-scale upheavals that affect large populations. In this study this method was applied as an intervention and tool of investigation during the confinement period in the Lombardy region, the Italian Epicenter of COVID-19 outbreak. Sixty-four participants took part in an online expressive writing project, and a total of 167 writings were collected together with some self-report evaluations on emotions and physical sensations. A linguistic analysis through two different sets of computerized linguistic measures was conducted on the collected writings in order to study the linguistic markers of emotion regulation and elaboration. Results indicated that online expressive writing has helped respondents to get more in touch with the intense emotions that were experienced following the upheavals they witnessed. Writing even only once or twice helped, particularly those respondents who had at least one COVID-19 patient among close friends or relatives. Their writings showed an intense emotional involvement together with the ability to reflect and reorganize the personal meaning of the events and emotions experienced. This study shows that expressive writing can be used in the context of a psychological emergency, both as a powerful instrument to investigate and detect the complex psychodynamic processes underpinning the distress, and as a useful intervention to reduce the negative impact of traumatic events.

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“…Bucci’s MCT focused the majority of its research on the evaluation of psychopathology throughout time and in the therapeutic context. However, the literature shows and encourages the consideration of the role of RA in the analysis of psychopathology [ 28 , 29 , 30 ]. A gap in the literature currently exists regarding the role of RA in the consolidation of psychopathological traits during the COVID-19 lockdown.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Putting into Words the COVID-19 Lockdown Experience: Psychological Symptoms and the Referential Process

2021

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The coronavirus pandemic is a unique collective event which has affected the physical and psychological health of all individuals. Restrictions imposed by governments to counteract this situation have represented risk factors for developing psychopathological symptoms. This study aims to explore the relationship between psychological symptoms and the referential process (RP). Forty-eight healthy participants (25 males, mean age = 39.3; SD = 16.6) completed a demographic questionnaire and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) through an online platform and wrote about their experience 3 weeks after the imposition of the lockdown. Different linguistic measures of the RP were applied to the narratives. The logical functions expressed through written narratives (The Italian Reflection Dictionary score, IREF) showed significant positive correlations with the SCL-90-R General Score Index (GSI) and different SCL-90-R subscales (depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsiveness, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, and paranoid ideation). On the contrary, the reorganization and reflection function related to emotional events (The Italian Weighted Reflection and Reorganization List score, IWRRL) showed significant negative correlations with the SCL-90-R’s GSI and different subscales (obsessive-compulsiveness, depression, anxiety). The results highlight the relationship between psychological symptoms and complex defense mechanisms based on the intellectualization of negative emotions and a positive strategy of reorganization based on emotional elaboration. These results suggest the importance of supporting collective elaborations of citizens in the context of the pandemic.

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Linguistic analysis of autobiographical narratives in unipolar and bipolar mood disorders in light of multiple code theory

Cited by 20 publications

References 39 publications

The Impact of Coping Strategies and Perceived Family Support on Depressive and Anxious Symptomatology During the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19) Lockdown

The Impact of Coping Strategies and Perceived Family Support on Depressive and Anxious Symptomatology During the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19) Lockdown

Linguistic Markers of the Emotion Elaboration Surrounding the Confinement Period in the Italian Epicenter of COVID-19 Outbreak

Putting into Words the COVID-19 Lockdown Experience: Psychological Symptoms and the Referential Process

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