Turn-taking fluency in free conversations with individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia

Disruptions in language processing observed in Individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia (ISZ) are likely to impair turn-taking fluency and social functioning. While turn-taking research in ISZ is limited and mostly interview-based, this study examines fluency differences between ISZ and controls in free conversations and their links to social outcomes and symptoms. We recruited 20 ISZ, 20 healthy interacting partners (IP), and 20 matched controls (MAT). Each IP, unaware of the ISZ diagnosis, had a 6-min conversation with an ISZ and a MAT, and then rated their willingness to interact again. Voice recordings were analyzed for pauses, gaps, and overlaps. Results revealed that conversations with ISZ featured fewer overlaps, more and longer gaps, and extended pauses. Additionally, the gap duration influenced participants' willingness to engage in future interactions. ISZ symptoms disrupted their speech and were linked to longer gaps and pauses in their partner's speech. This study extends fluency research in ISZ by shedding light on natural conversational dynamics.