شعردرمانی برای اسکیزوفرنی: یک مدل روان زبان درمانی رنکو(شعر مرتبط)

Disturbances of association are suggested to be fundamental characteristics in schizophrenia (Bleuler, 1950). Schizophrenics may have pathological semantic systems that are less socially conditioned. In fact, schizophrenics often fail to understand the meaning of words in context and cannot communicate their intended meaning to others (Cutting, 1985). Language impairments may also precipitate thought disorders, including misjudgment of experience, delusions, and a distorted worldview, because human cognitive ability is enhanced by the linguistic aspects of thought (Lieberman, 1984). The current psycholinguistic approach suggests that chronic schizophrenics have language impairments at the levels of semantics, cognition, and pragmatics. The semantic and cognitive levels can be regarded as deeper structures that operate association and thought, while the pragmatic level is viewed as the study of meaning in context pertinent to communication and the relations between signs and their users. I will present two cases of chronic schizophrenia significantly improved after participating in renku, a Japanese traditional poetic form, used in one-to-one therapeutic sessions. The unique character of renku is its dialogue in form. A series of exchanges of stanzas seem to treat schizophrenic language impairments as well as disordered reality testing. The therapeutic functions of poetic language in renku will be discussed and a linguistic psychotherapeutic model will be proposed.

Humans employ the poetic dimensions of language in every aspect of life. Discourse is therapeutic when it is jointly constructed; creating a dynamic and vibrant reality through words (Ferrara, 1994). Renku is a poetic form of dialogue in which reality is collaboratively constructed and shared by therapist and patient. Asano (1986) notes that the essence of renku therapy, as well as renku itself, lies in fostering “link-and-share-with of the mind and heart” (p. 45). Thus the structure of renku is inherently suitable for psychotherapy. I have shown that renku therapy works as a way of treating the language impairments of chronic schizophrenia. Through renku therapy, a patient comes to understand or even to express humor, because to understand humor is to recognize meaning, context, and metaphor in utterances and writings (Tamura, 1998). Renku therapy may also work for the rehabilitation of emotional and empathetic functioning among schizophrenics. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1844), an American poet and philosopher, stated that “Language is fossil poetry” (p. 13). The language of chronic schizophrenics seems to be distorted and fossilized. The poetic use of language may activate or resurrect their language so that it may be possible for them to reform their impaired semantic systems. Emerson 1983