Tuning into Patient Language: A Psycholinguistic Approach

At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to: 1. Identify the primary theories, methods, concepts, and research findings in the discipline of psycholinguistics that are relevant to a clinical practice

2. Describe how psycholinguistics contributes to the diagnosis and prognosis of neurodevelopmental (Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Specific Language Impairment) and psychiatric disorders (Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Anxiety Disorders, OCD, Eating Disorders, Substance Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Schizoid Personality Disorder), as well as the diagnosis of 4 prevalent medical disorders (Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, Cancer, and Cardiovascular Disease)

3. Discuss qualitative and quantitative methods/strategies to study language patterns that aid in clinical diagnosis and guide effective psychotherapeutic interventions

Psycholinguistics explores the relationship between verbal and nonverbal language patterns and the characteristics of language symptoms in individuals with neurodevelopmental, emotional, and medical disorders. Language patterns observed by astute clinicians during sessions can be invaluable feedback. Specifically, attention to psycholinguistic concepts, overall and from a subdiscipline perspective, can enable mental health professionals to deepen their awareness about their clients, to broaden their own assessment skills, to distinguish the characteristics of different language clues, to attend to differences in the language patterns of their clients, and to extend their knowledge about these patterns over the course of treatment. In this way, psycholinguistic methods and strategies can inform mental health professionals about diagnosis, prognosis, and the relative efficacy of therapeutic interventions. This online CE course informs mental health clinicians how to listen to the “language code” of their patients.