Affective reactivity of language and right-ear advantage in schizophrenia

Abstract 

A subset of schizophrenic patients has demonstrated increased language dysfunction in affectively stressful, compared to non-stressful conditions. Affective reactivity of right-ear advantage has been demonstrated in studies of dichotic listening in schizophrenia. The present study assessed whether participants who showed affective reactivity of speech were also those who showed affective reactivity of right-ear advantage. Data from 18 schizophrenic outpatients were analyzed. Affective reactivity of language was associated with affective reactivity of right-ear advantage. Findings should be regarded as preliminary due to the small sample size; however, they may potentially contribute to construct the validity of affective reactivity as a process discriminator in schizophrenia.

Keywords:  Schizophrenia, Laterality, Right-ear advantage, Reactivity