The effects of reading literary fiction on the measurement and development of mentalization skills among schizophrenic patients
Introduction Following the mentalization of interpersonal relations can be improved through reading for which the influence of literary fiction can also serve as a model. Schizophrenia is characterized by extensive deficits in mentalization, and the amelioration of these impairments is a major focu...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2022-06-01
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| Series: | European Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822004138/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1827753929000091648 |
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| author | J. Fekete T. Tényi Z. Pótó E. Varga R. Herold |
| author_facet | J. Fekete T. Tényi Z. Pótó E. Varga R. Herold |
| author_sort | J. Fekete |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
Following the mentalization of interpersonal relations can be improved through reading for which the influence of literary fiction can also serve as a model. Schizophrenia is characterized by extensive deficits in mentalization, and the amelioration of these impairments is a major focus in psychosocial treatment research. Reading literature can be a potential tool in improving mentalizing skills.
Objectives
We aimed to examine and compare healthy participants with patients living with schizophrenia, focusing on measuring mentalizing skills and the impact of reading literary fiction on their mentalization skills.
Methods
47 persons with schizophrenia in remission and 48 healthy controls were assessed and compared with Short Story Task (SST) a new measurement of ToM. SST proved to be a sensitive tool, to individual differences. After reading the short story “The End of Something” (Hemingway) a structured interview was done with 14 questions.
Results
We found that patients with schizophrenia performed significantly worse in their ToM scores compared to healthy controls (ANOVA test, p<0,05 ). Previous reading experiences correlated significantly with mentalizing scores not just in healthy controls (Independent Samples T-test, p<0,05) but also in patients with schizophrenia. ToM scores were twice as high among those who had prior reading experiences in the schizophrenia group ((MS= 3,91, SD=3,166, M=8,08, SD=4,542; p<0,05, t=-3,509).
Conclusions
We found that mentalization skills could be improved by regular reading. Our results could also be influenced by several other factors such as empathy skills, identification with the characters etc. Our results and conclusions are in line with the results of international research on this topic.
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:43:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-67cb91bb2af94b359cb71f9ac38052cd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:43:09Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-67cb91bb2af94b359cb71f9ac38052cd2023-11-17T05:08:13ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852022-06-0165S154S15410.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.413The effects of reading literary fiction on the measurement and development of mentalization skills among schizophrenic patientsJ. Fekete0T. Tényi1Z. Pótó2E. Varga3R. Herold4University of Pécs, Department Of Languages For Biomedical Purposes And Communication, Pécs, HungaryMedical Faculty, University of Pécs, Hungary, Department Of Psychiatry And Psychotherapy, Pécs, HungaryUniversity of Pécs, Faculty Of Humanities And Social Sciences, Pécs, HungaryMedical Faculty, University of Pécs, Hungary, Department Of Psychiatry And Psychotherapy, Pécs, HungaryMedical Faculty, University of Pécs, Hungary, Department Of Psychiatry And Psychotherapy, Pécs, Hungary Introduction Following the mentalization of interpersonal relations can be improved through reading for which the influence of literary fiction can also serve as a model. Schizophrenia is characterized by extensive deficits in mentalization, and the amelioration of these impairments is a major focus in psychosocial treatment research. Reading literature can be a potential tool in improving mentalizing skills. Objectives We aimed to examine and compare healthy participants with patients living with schizophrenia, focusing on measuring mentalizing skills and the impact of reading literary fiction on their mentalization skills. Methods 47 persons with schizophrenia in remission and 48 healthy controls were assessed and compared with Short Story Task (SST) a new measurement of ToM. SST proved to be a sensitive tool, to individual differences. After reading the short story “The End of Something” (Hemingway) a structured interview was done with 14 questions. Results We found that patients with schizophrenia performed significantly worse in their ToM scores compared to healthy controls (ANOVA test, p<0,05 ). Previous reading experiences correlated significantly with mentalizing scores not just in healthy controls (Independent Samples T-test, p<0,05) but also in patients with schizophrenia. ToM scores were twice as high among those who had prior reading experiences in the schizophrenia group ((MS= 3,91, SD=3,166, M=8,08, SD=4,542; p<0,05, t=-3,509). Conclusions We found that mentalization skills could be improved by regular reading. Our results could also be influenced by several other factors such as empathy skills, identification with the characters etc. Our results and conclusions are in line with the results of international research on this topic. Disclosure No significant relationships. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822004138/type/journal_articletheory of mindschizophreniamentalisationreadingliterary fiction |
| spellingShingle | J. Fekete T. Tényi Z. Pótó E. Varga R. Herold The effects of reading literary fiction on the measurement and development of mentalization skills among schizophrenic patients European Psychiatry theory of mind schizophrenia mentalisation reading literary fiction |
| title | The effects of reading literary fiction on the measurement and development of mentalization skills among schizophrenic patients |
| title_full | The effects of reading literary fiction on the measurement and development of mentalization skills among schizophrenic patients |
| title_fullStr | The effects of reading literary fiction on the measurement and development of mentalization skills among schizophrenic patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effects of reading literary fiction on the measurement and development of mentalization skills among schizophrenic patients |
| title_short | The effects of reading literary fiction on the measurement and development of mentalization skills among schizophrenic patients |
| title_sort | effects of reading literary fiction on the measurement and development of mentalization skills among schizophrenic patients |
| topic | theory of mind schizophrenia mentalisation reading literary fiction |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822004138/type/journal_article |
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