Executive Functioning Component Processes and the Causes of Formal Thought Disorder in People With Schizophrenia

Abstract

Formal thought disorder (FTD) is a common symptom of schizophrenia. In a review of previous research, FTD was associated with impaired executive functioning. Executive functioning encompasses potentially distinct storage and processing components. The goal of this research was to test whether FTD is caused by deficits in two potentially distinct components of executive functioning: context memory and interference suppression. In two studies, one with people with schizophrenia and the other an analogue study with nonpsychiatric participants, context memory predicted FTD. In addition, in both studies, the effect of a context memory deficit was particularly pronounced when combined with an interference suppression deficit. The highest levels of FTD were associated with both impaired context memory and impaired interference suppression.