It is time to address language disorders in schizophrenia: A RCT on the efficacy of a novel training targeting the pragmatics of communication (PragmaCom)

Bambini, Valentina; Agostoni, Giulia; Buonocore, Mariachiara; Tonini, Elisabetta; Bechi, Margherita; Ferri, Ilaria; Sapienza, Jacopo; Martini, Francesca; Cuoco, Federica; Cocchi, Federica; Bischetti, Luca; Cavallaro, Roberto; Bosia, Marta

doi:10.1016/j.jcomdis.2022.106196

Cited by 24 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 81 publications

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“…This context-based inferential procedure, with its generalizability, is likely to be the key element of effectiveness of the MetaCom in improving metaphor understanding. It is interesting to note that a similar strategy, that is, centered around inferential mechanisms, turned out to be effective also in improving adults’ pragmatic skills, including metaphor comprehension, as shown in recent studies employing a training program for healthy aging (Bambini et al, 2020) and mental illness (Bambini et al, 2022). The evidence coming from these latter studies, coupled with the findings of the current study, points to the key role of inference in promoting pragmatics across the lifespan, from childhood to aging, and across populations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…More generally, explicitness seems an important characteristic of training programs targeting pragmatic inferences. Converging evidence comes from the efficacy of other training programs which adopted an explicit strategy, such as the pragmatic training for adults in Bambini et al (2020) and (Bambini et al, 2022), the irony comprehension training for children in Szücs and Babarczy (2017) and the sarcasm comprehension training of Lee et al (2021). An interesting issue – here considered only at the speculative level – is how explicitness combines with the automaticity of metaphor comprehension.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Efficacy and benefits of the MetaCom training to promote metaphor comprehension in typical development

Tonini

Lecce²,

Sette

et al. 2022

First Language

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Although metaphors are essential tools in everyday communication and educational settings, the literature lacks evidence of effective training tools to promote metaphor comprehension in typical development. Grounding in theoretical pragmatics, we developed a novel metaphor comprehension training (MetaCom) for school-age children that focuses on inferential and contextual aspects of metaphors. The effects of the MetaCom were tested against a control training focusing on text comprehension in a randomized controlled trial involving 55 children aged between 8;8 and 9;8. Only children in the MetaCom group improved in the ability to verbally explain the meaning of a metaphor. Moreover, only the MetaCom showed transfer effects to reading comprehension. These findings suggest that targeting inference and attention to context is key to promote metaphor understanding, and that the benefits might extend to linguistic and communicative skills at large. The MetaCom training can thus represent a promising tool for educational programs, possibly also in atypical populations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Efficacy and benefits of the MetaCom training to promote metaphor comprehension in typical development

Tonini

Lecce²,

Sette

et al. 2022

First Language

Self Cite

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“…It is possible to find a reflection of these results in the most recent publications in pragmatics between 2021 and 2022 if we examine the most recent publications in pragmatics between these two years. Research in recent years has focused on L2 pragmatic comprehension [ 132 ], speech acts in virtual reality [ 133 ], pragmatic disorder in schizophrenia [ 134 ], request production by EFL learners [ 135 ], and role of theory of mind in physical and mental metaphors [ 136 ]. Although these five studies share the idea that they use pragmatics in their research, they approach it from different perspectives.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although these five studies share the idea that they use pragmatics in their research, they approach it from different perspectives. For instance, we can see discussing pragmatic in relation to L2 and EFL learners in [ 135 , 137 ] (i.e., cultural pragmatics), pragmatics and mental health [ 134 ] (i.e., clinical pragmatics), and processing of pragmatics elements [ 136 ] (i.e., psychpragmatics).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pragmatics: Mapping Evidence on Enhancing Children’s Use of Linguistic and Non-Linguistic Capacities for Interactive Communication

et al. 2022

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New-born infants communicate from the first minute they come to life. This non-linguistic and non-verbal capacity to interact from the first day they come to life enables them to express their needs and evidence their typical development. This capacity to interact develops to include linguistic and non-linguistic use of verbal and non-verbal interaction, that is, pragmatics. Because pragmatics is heterogeneously structured of semiotic, cognitive, motor and sensory elements so it is vital to ensure successful human interaction. The other language elements (i.e., phonological, morphological, syntactic and semantic) are essential inputs for this human interaction outcome (i.e., pragmatics). Accordingly, this study sought to map evidence that pragmatics can enhance children’s use of linguistic and non-linguistic capacities for interactive communication. This was addressed by conducting bibliometric and scientometric analyses of 6554 documents from Scopus, 1167 from WOS and 11,230 from Lens between 1939 and 2022. We analysed the past, present and future developments of the field of pragmatics using bibliometric and scientometric indicators. The scientometric analysis was conducted using CiteSpace 5.8.R3 and VOSviewer 1.6.18 software, which enabled the tabulation, visualisation and measurement of the impact of central influencers in the field of pragmatics. In the light of our results, pragmatics continues to expand in order to understand human interaction in a deeper way and to enhance children’s typical interactions with the environment around them. The group should also include adults or elderly people whose pragmatic language skills have been impaired due to any acquired or developmental disorder, such as a brain injury.

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“…Second, noninvasive brain stimulation of the LN (Fig. 1), metacognitive approaches of cognitive remediation [131], training in communication pragmatics [132], speech-gesture training [133], expressive-discursive skills training [134] are various options that can be grouped together as approaches towards Language Network Modulation -a novel therapeutic means to address a hitherto unmet need of FTD in schizophrenia. Matching patients to these treatments, selecting appropriate stimulation targets and predicting treatment response [135] can be achieved with precise mapping of LN deficits.…”

Section: What Gains Can Come From the Study Of Ftd?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Language Network Dysfunction and Formal Thought Disorder in schizophrenia

Palaniyappan¹,

Homan²,

Alonso-Sánchez³

2022

Preprint

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BackgroundPathophysiological inquiries into schizophrenia require a consideration of one of its defining features: disorganisation and impoverishment in verbal behaviour. This feature, often captured using the term Formal Thought Disorder, still remains to be one of the most poorly understood and often understudied dimensions of schizophrenia. AimIn this review, we consider the various challenges that need to be addressed for us to move towards mapping FTD (construct) to a brain network level account (circuit). This construct-to-circuit mapping goal is now becoming more plausible than it ever was, given the advent of tools providing objective readouts of human speech. ConclusionsWe suggest that any comprehensive pathophysiological model of schizophrenia must satisfactorily account for the onset and persistence of FTD and address the nature of Language Network dysfunction in this illness. To this end, we consider the need for phenotype refinement, robust experimental designs, informed analytical choices and suggest specific steps that can be taken towards the deciphering the neural mechanisms underwriting FTD, and the translational promise of improved interpersonal communication and reduced social disability.

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It is time to address language disorders in schizophrenia: A RCT on the efficacy of a novel training targeting the pragmatics of communication (PragmaCom)

Cited by 24 publications

References 81 publications

Efficacy and benefits of the MetaCom training to promote metaphor comprehension in typical development

Efficacy and benefits of the MetaCom training to promote metaphor comprehension in typical development

Pragmatics: Mapping Evidence on Enhancing Children’s Use of Linguistic and Non-Linguistic Capacities for Interactive Communication

Language Network Dysfunction and Formal Thought Disorder in schizophrenia

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