LETTERS OF MOTHERS OF SCHIZOPHRENICS

Several letters to schizophrenic patients from their mothers are presented verbatim as raw communicational data. These letters are examined, microscopically and macroscopically, for characteristic formal patterns of expression. It is found that: 1) While the letters vary greatly in details of content, style, etc., they exhibit similar pervasive and highly influential patterns of incongruent communication. 2) These letters agree with another schizophrenic's characterization of such letters generally. 3) The observed pattern fits prior general statements of the authors' research group about the "double bind" and incongruent communication in schizophrenia.