ABSTRACT
Many clinical groups exhibit atypical thought, language, and communication skills. However, these deficiencies have been examined only indirectly via behavioral means. In this chapter we describe the developing field of Clinical Cognitive Network (CCN) analysis, which applies computational network science methodologies to examine clinical populations at the cognitive level. We argue for the importance of this approach in quantitatively and directly examining the nature of atypical thought processes and discuss how this approach is situated within current attempts to quantify psychopathology. Next, we present an initial overview of major CCN studies conducted on clinical groups, thus demonstrating the feasibility of this approach. Finally, we discuss how CCN can be applied in clinical diagnostics and treatment. Thus, although CCN is only developing, it is already demonstrating great promise in pushing the field of clinical research forward by quantitatively investigating atypical thought processes exhibited by clinical populations.
