Metaphorical language and psychopathological symptoms: a case study of trauma victims’ metaphor use
Abstract Background While clinical diagnosis of mental health issues focuses on factual details represented by literal language (e.g., the onset and process of the triggering event and duration of symptom), the relationship between metaphorical language and psychopathological experiences remains an...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-02-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01492-w |
| _version_ | 1797272745296265216 |
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| author | Amy Han Qiu Dennis Tay Bernadette Watson |
| author_facet | Amy Han Qiu Dennis Tay Bernadette Watson |
| author_sort | Amy Han Qiu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background While clinical diagnosis of mental health issues focuses on factual details represented by literal language (e.g., the onset and process of the triggering event and duration of symptom), the relationship between metaphorical language and psychopathological experiences remains an intriguing question. Focusing on psychological trauma triggered by the 2019–2020 Hong Kong social unrest, this study explored the correlations between trauma victims’ quantitative metaphor usage patterns and their experience of specific Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) symptoms. Methods Forty-six individuals with trauma exposure within 28 days were recruited through convenience sampling. Each completed a 20– to 30-minute semi-structured interview and filled out the Chinese version of the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire (SASRQ; 1). Metaphors in the interviews were identified using the discourse dynamic approach (2), and clinically interesting categories related to trauma and emotion expression, as revealed by previous literature, were sorted out. Standardized frequencies of the categories were correlated with participants’ SASRQ scores of five major ASD symptoms, and the correlational patterns were interpreted from a discourse analytic perspective. Results The study reveals how metaphor usage patterns can reflect the speakers’ differentiated experiences of psychopathological symptoms. Compared with individuals who experienced less trauma, those more disturbed by the re-experiencing symptom were more inclined to use emotion-related metaphors and to metaphorize about the self and the self-society relationship. Individuals who experienced more severe anxiety and hyperarousal showed a heightened awareness of self-related issues and diminished attention to others. Those who suffered from more severe impairment in functioning produced more metaphors in the negative valence. Dissociation and avoidance, which were less experientially salient and intense than the others, were not significantly correlated with metaphor usage patterns. Conclusion This study establishes symptom-level metaphor usage patterns as a previously overlooked but interesting avenue in trauma evaluation, treatment, and research. While the study is confined to a single context, it nevertheless reveals the potential for metaphor research findings to be incorporated as useful materials in psychology education and therapist training. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:33:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-375c5d9bd049415d9d4a973eccd194ea |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-7283 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:33:46Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-375c5d9bd049415d9d4a973eccd194ea2024-03-05T20:45:39ZengBMCBMC Psychology2050-72832024-02-0112111510.1186/s40359-023-01492-wMetaphorical language and psychopathological symptoms: a case study of trauma victims’ metaphor useAmy Han Qiu0Dennis Tay1Bernadette Watson2Department of Philosophy, Linguistics, and Theory of Science, Faculty of Humanities, University of GothenburgInternational Research Centre for the Advancement of Health Communication, Department of English and Communication, The Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityInternational Research Centre for the Advancement of Health Communication, Department of English and Communication, The Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityAbstract Background While clinical diagnosis of mental health issues focuses on factual details represented by literal language (e.g., the onset and process of the triggering event and duration of symptom), the relationship between metaphorical language and psychopathological experiences remains an intriguing question. Focusing on psychological trauma triggered by the 2019–2020 Hong Kong social unrest, this study explored the correlations between trauma victims’ quantitative metaphor usage patterns and their experience of specific Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) symptoms. Methods Forty-six individuals with trauma exposure within 28 days were recruited through convenience sampling. Each completed a 20– to 30-minute semi-structured interview and filled out the Chinese version of the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire (SASRQ; 1). Metaphors in the interviews were identified using the discourse dynamic approach (2), and clinically interesting categories related to trauma and emotion expression, as revealed by previous literature, were sorted out. Standardized frequencies of the categories were correlated with participants’ SASRQ scores of five major ASD symptoms, and the correlational patterns were interpreted from a discourse analytic perspective. Results The study reveals how metaphor usage patterns can reflect the speakers’ differentiated experiences of psychopathological symptoms. Compared with individuals who experienced less trauma, those more disturbed by the re-experiencing symptom were more inclined to use emotion-related metaphors and to metaphorize about the self and the self-society relationship. Individuals who experienced more severe anxiety and hyperarousal showed a heightened awareness of self-related issues and diminished attention to others. Those who suffered from more severe impairment in functioning produced more metaphors in the negative valence. Dissociation and avoidance, which were less experientially salient and intense than the others, were not significantly correlated with metaphor usage patterns. Conclusion This study establishes symptom-level metaphor usage patterns as a previously overlooked but interesting avenue in trauma evaluation, treatment, and research. While the study is confined to a single context, it nevertheless reveals the potential for metaphor research findings to be incorporated as useful materials in psychology education and therapist training.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01492-wMetaphorical languageSymptom severityAcute stress disorder (ASD)Psychopathological symptomsPsychometric variablesTrauma metaphors |
| spellingShingle | Amy Han Qiu Dennis Tay Bernadette Watson Metaphorical language and psychopathological symptoms: a case study of trauma victims’ metaphor use BMC Psychology Metaphorical language Symptom severity Acute stress disorder (ASD) Psychopathological symptoms Psychometric variables Trauma metaphors |
| title | Metaphorical language and psychopathological symptoms: a case study of trauma victims’ metaphor use |
| title_full | Metaphorical language and psychopathological symptoms: a case study of trauma victims’ metaphor use |
| title_fullStr | Metaphorical language and psychopathological symptoms: a case study of trauma victims’ metaphor use |
| title_full_unstemmed | Metaphorical language and psychopathological symptoms: a case study of trauma victims’ metaphor use |
| title_short | Metaphorical language and psychopathological symptoms: a case study of trauma victims’ metaphor use |
| title_sort | metaphorical language and psychopathological symptoms a case study of trauma victims metaphor use |
| topic | Metaphorical language Symptom severity Acute stress disorder (ASD) Psychopathological symptoms Psychometric variables Trauma metaphors |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01492-w |
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