Associations (Loosening of)

(Loosening of) Associations refers to illogical and disturbed thought processes; one of the "four A’s” used to identify the splitting of external reality found in schizophrenia. Loosening of Associations also means disordered patterns of though, inferring a cognitive deficit. (see Eugen Bleuler) The other "A's" are: Ambivalence, Autism and Affect.