PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
BACKGROUND: While clinical diagnosis of mental health issues focuses on factual details represented by literal language (e.g., the onset and process of the triggering event and duration of symptom), the relationship between metaphorical language and psychopathological experiences remains an intriguing question. Focusing on psychological trauma triggered by the 2019-2020 Hong Kong social unrest, this study explored the correlations between trauma victims\' quantitative metaphor usage patterns and their experience of specific Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) symptoms.
METHODS: Forty-six individuals with trauma exposure within 28 days were recruited through convenience sampling. Each completed a 20- to 30-minute semi-structured interview and filled out the Chinese version of the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire (SASRQ; 1). Metaphors in the interviews were identified using the discourse dynamic approach (2), and clinically interesting categories related to trauma and emotion expression, as revealed by previous literature, were sorted out. Standardized frequencies of the categories were correlated with participants\' SASRQ scores of five major ASD symptoms, and the correlational patterns were interpreted from a discourse analytic perspective.
RESULTS: The study reveals how metaphor usage patterns can reflect the speakers\' differentiated experiences of psychopathological symptoms. Compared with individuals who experienced less trauma, those more disturbed by the re-experiencing symptom were more inclined to use emotion-related metaphors and to metaphorize about the self and the self-society relationship. Individuals who experienced more severe anxiety and hyperarousal showed a heightened awareness of self-related issues and diminished attention to others. Those who suffered from more severe impairment in functioning produced more metaphors in the negative valence. Dissociation and avoidance, which were less experientially salient and intense than the others, were not significantly correlated with metaphor usage patterns.
CONCLUSIONS: This study establishes symptom-level metaphor usage patterns as a previously overlooked but interesting avenue in trauma evaluation, treatment, and research. While the study is confined to a single context, it nevertheless reveals the potential for metaphor research findings to be incorporated as useful materials in psychology education and therapist training.
METHODS: Forty-six individuals with trauma exposure within 28 days were recruited through convenience sampling. Each completed a 20- to 30-minute semi-structured interview and filled out the Chinese version of the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire (SASRQ; 1). Metaphors in the interviews were identified using the discourse dynamic approach (2), and clinically interesting categories related to trauma and emotion expression, as revealed by previous literature, were sorted out. Standardized frequencies of the categories were correlated with participants\' SASRQ scores of five major ASD symptoms, and the correlational patterns were interpreted from a discourse analytic perspective.
RESULTS: The study reveals how metaphor usage patterns can reflect the speakers\' differentiated experiences of psychopathological symptoms. Compared with individuals who experienced less trauma, those more disturbed by the re-experiencing symptom were more inclined to use emotion-related metaphors and to metaphorize about the self and the self-society relationship. Individuals who experienced more severe anxiety and hyperarousal showed a heightened awareness of self-related issues and diminished attention to others. Those who suffered from more severe impairment in functioning produced more metaphors in the negative valence. Dissociation and avoidance, which were less experientially salient and intense than the others, were not significantly correlated with metaphor usage patterns.
CONCLUSIONS: This study establishes symptom-level metaphor usage patterns as a previously overlooked but interesting avenue in trauma evaluation, treatment, and research. While the study is confined to a single context, it nevertheless reveals the potential for metaphor research findings to be incorporated as useful materials in psychology education and therapist training.
摘要：
背景：虽然心理健康问题的临床诊断侧重于由文字语言所代表的事实细节（例如，触发事件的开始和过程以及症状的持续时间)，隐喻语言和精神病理学经验之间的关系仍然是一个有趣的问题。聚焦2019-2020年香港社会动荡引发的心理创伤,这项研究探讨了创伤受害者的定量隐喻使用模式与他们对特定急性应激障碍（ASD）症状的体验之间的相关性。
方法：通过方便抽样招募了28天内有创伤暴露的46名个体。每个人都完成了20到30分钟的半结构化访谈，并填写了中文版的斯坦福急性应激反应问卷（SASRQ;1）。访谈中的隐喻使用话语动态方法(2)，以及与创伤和情绪表达相关的临床有趣类别，正如以前的文献所揭示的，被整理了。这些类别的标准化频率与参与者的五种主要ASD症状的SASRQ评分相关，并从语篇分析的角度对相关模式进行了解释。
结果：该研究揭示了隐喻使用模式如何反映说话者对精神病理症状的不同体验。与经历较少创伤的人相比，那些对重新体验症状感到不安的人更倾向于使用与情感相关的隐喻，并对自我和自我社会关系进行隐喻。经历了更严重的焦虑和过度觉醒的人表现出对自我相关问题的意识增强，对他人的关注减少。那些功能受到更严重损害的人在负价中产生了更多的隐喻。分离和回避，在经验上比其他人更不突出和强烈，与隐喻使用模式没有显著相关。
结论：本研究确立了症状级别的隐喻使用模式，作为创伤评估中以前被忽视但有趣的途径，治疗,和研究。虽然这项研究仅限于单一背景，然而，它揭示了隐喻研究结果被纳入心理学教育和治疗师培训中作为有用材料的潜力。
方法：通过方便抽样招募了28天内有创伤暴露的46名个体。每个人都完成了20到30分钟的半结构化访谈，并填写了中文版的斯坦福急性应激反应问卷（SASRQ;1）。访谈中的隐喻使用话语动态方法(2)，以及与创伤和情绪表达相关的临床有趣类别，正如以前的文献所揭示的，被整理了。这些类别的标准化频率与参与者的五种主要ASD症状的SASRQ评分相关，并从语篇分析的角度对相关模式进行了解释。
结果：该研究揭示了隐喻使用模式如何反映说话者对精神病理症状的不同体验。与经历较少创伤的人相比，那些对重新体验症状感到不安的人更倾向于使用与情感相关的隐喻，并对自我和自我社会关系进行隐喻。经历了更严重的焦虑和过度觉醒的人表现出对自我相关问题的意识增强，对他人的关注减少。那些功能受到更严重损害的人在负价中产生了更多的隐喻。分离和回避，在经验上比其他人更不突出和强烈，与隐喻使用模式没有显著相关。
结论：本研究确立了症状级别的隐喻使用模式，作为创伤评估中以前被忽视但有趣的途径，治疗,和研究。虽然这项研究仅限于单一背景，然而，它揭示了隐喻研究结果被纳入心理学教育和治疗师培训中作为有用材料的潜力。
