Background: This study examined the effect of emotional salience on the severity of thought disorder in schizophrenic patients.
Method: Ten thought disordered and ten non-thought disordered schizophrenic patients were interviewed under two conditions: a personal interview involving material which was emotionally salient and an impersonal interview involving material which was not emotionally salient.
Results: Both groups exhibited some thought disorder during both interviews. The thought disordered patients exhibited significantly more thought disorder during the emotionally salient interview.
Conclusions: Thought disorder in schizophrenic patients is affected by the emotional salience of the material being discussed. Clinical implications are discussed.