Word salad refers to which symptom?

• A. Delusions
• B. Hallucinations
• C. Jumble of incoherent speech
• D. Catatonia

Answer: (C)

Word salad signals disorganized thinking reflected in speech. In severe thought disorder, speech can become incomprehensible, with words and ideas jumbled together in a way that makes little logical sense—this is word salad. This symptom is a hallmark of disorganized speech, a type of thought disorder often seen in schizophrenia and related conditions. Delusions are fixed false beliefs; hallucinations are sensory experiences without external stimuli; catatonia involves motor or behavioral abnormalities. Because word salad is the quintessential example of disorganized speech, it best describes a jumble of incoherent speech.