The TRUSTING research aims to improve the early detection of psychotic relapse through speech-based monitoring. A recent article adds valuable insight to this objective: a meta-analysis spanning 80 years of research and 13 studies has found that people with schizophrenia use first-person pronouns, such as “me”, “myself”, and “I”, significantly more often than those without the condition. This distinct linguistic pattern may point to a disrupted self-image, a core feature of schizophrenia, and could serve as a transdiagnostic marker for mental health conditions.
“Several studies have already shown that people with schizophrenia refer to themselves more often. The subject of their conversations is more often about themselves,” says Prof. Iris Sommer, TRUSTING’s project coordinator and cognitive psychiatrist at the University Medical Centre Groningen (UMCG). “We are going even broader by looking at how language use varies among people with psychosis, even those who may not have schizophrenia.”
The study reinforces TRUSTING project’s objectives that language analysis can act as an objective marker for psychiatric conditions. “People who feel mentally unwell are more inward-focused,” Prof. Sommer explains. “They use more first-person language because they are directing their energy toward managing internal struggles.”
Beyond schizophrenia, increased self-referential speech has also been observed in individuals with depression, suggesting that this pattern may be a transdiagnostic feature of broader mental health deterioration. This supports TRUSTING project’s use of language as a window into psychological states, providing clinicians with non-invasive, real-time tools to monitor mental health and tailor support.
Prof. Sommer further notes the potential for automated speech analysis to transform psychiatric care: “Mental illness is difficult to quantify. Traditional diagnosis often depends on subjective clinical interviews, which can vary significantly between professionals. Speech analysis offers a more standardised, data-driven alternative.”
As AI becomes increasingly capable of processing natural language, TRUSTING aims to apply these tools in ethical, patient-centred ways, contributing to a future where psychosis can be detected and managed earlier, with greater precision and compassion.
Access the original article in Dutch: ‘Me’, ‘mezelf’ en ‘ik’: taalgebruik is mogelijk een indicator van schizofrenie | EOS Wetenschap
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