Embodied Self and Metaphor Comprehension Predict Comprehension of Boundary Concept in Patients with Schizophrenia

Abstract

Background. The embodied self refers to the sense of self intertwined with our physical body and its experiences, which is impaired in schizophrenia. Metaphors, which are cognitive tools that help to comprehend abstract ideas, are also impaired in patients with schizophrenia. Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) links embodied experiences and metaphors to boundaries, indicating that these disruptions may lead to difficulties in understanding boundaries in schizophrenia.

Aims. This study explores the role of embodied self and metaphor comprehension in predicting boundary concept comprehension in patients with schizophrenia.

Method. The current study recruited 85 Male patients who were diagnosed with schizophrenia (mean age = 47.84 years, SD = 7.58). All participants completed the Embodied Sense of Self scale, the Montreal evaluation of communication_ Metaphor subtest, and a researcher-developed questionnaire on comprehension of the boundary concept. Multiple linear regression analyses were applied to assess the associations between the embodied self, metaphor comprehension, and understanding of the boundary concept.

Results. The suggested Model predicts 50% of the total variance ( P<0.1, R2=0.50).  Metaphor comprehension predicts boundary concept understanding ( beta = 0.67, p<0.01, R2 = 0.50 ) while the embodied self ( beta = -0.13, p=0.1, R2 = 0.50 ) does not.

Conclusion. Our findings indicate that impairments in metaphor comprehension are significantly associated to the understanding of boundary concepts in schizophrenia, while no such relationship was observed with the embodied self. These results highlight the role of metaphorical cognitions in boundary perception, potentially extending to issues with the self-other boundary and representing relations of self-other boundary disturbances and Metaphorical cognition.