Linguistic Expressions of Depressogenic Schemata

Abstract

Examinations of the words we use in our daily lives have shown that certain linguistic patterns may be indicators of underlying depressogenic schemata. The Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) and multidimensional scaling (MDS) have been used as methods of computerized text analysis to yield insight into how people’s language use may be reflective of maladaptive psychological processes, including self-focused attention, rumination, and absolutist thinking, which are all associated with the depressogenic schemata. These findings demonstrate the significance of analyzing people’s language use in the mental health profession. Research in this interdisciplinary field of natural language processing, applied linguistics, and mental health not only corroborates psychological theories regarding depression but further yields implications for prevention, diagnosis, and outcome predictions of mental health depression and anxiety.