Classification of schizophrenia Flashcards
(30 cards)
What is schizophrenia?
A severe mental illness characterised by disruptions in thought processes, perceptions, emotions, and behaviour
Which two main classification systems are used to diagnose schizophrenia?
ICD-11 and DSM-5
How does DSM-5 define schizophrenia?
At least one positive symptom (e.g., delusions or hallucinations) must be present for diagnosis
What is a key difference between ICD-11 and DSM-5 in diagnosing schizophrenia?
ICD-11 allows subtypes (e.g., paranoid schizophrenia)
What is meant by a “positive symptom” of schizophrenia?
Symptoms that add to normal experience, such as hallucinations and delusions
What is meant by a “negative symptom” of schizophrenia?
Symptoms that take away from normal functioning, like reduced emotion or speech
What are delusions?
Irrational beliefs, such as thinking one is being persecuted or is a famous figure
What are hallucinations?
Sensory experiences of stimuli that have no basis in reality (e.g., hearing voices)
What type of delusion involves thinking others are out to harm you?
Paranoid delusions
What type of hallucination is most common in schizophrenia?
Auditory hallucinations
What is a common example of a delusion?
Believing you are a god or have special powers.
What is speech poverty?
A reduction in speech fluency, productivity, or content
What is avolition?
A lack of motivation to initiate or persist in goal-directed behavior
How can avolition affect daily life?
Reduced interest in personal hygiene, work, or social activities
What is anhedonia in the context of schizophrenia?
Inability to experience pleasure, sometimes considered a negative symptom
How might speech poverty be observed?
Minimal response during conversation, delayed replies, or vague speech
What does reliability mean in the context of schizophrenia diagnosis?
Consistency of diagnosis across different clinicians and over time
What is inter-rater reliability?
Agreement between different clinicians on a diagnosis
What does validity mean in diagnosing schizophrenia?
The extent to which the diagnosis reflects the actual disorder
What is co-morbidity?
When a person has two or more disorders at the same time, such as schizophrenia and depression
Why does co-morbidity challenge validity?
It makes it hard to tell which symptoms belong to which disorder
What is symptom overlap?
When symptoms of schizophrenia are also found in other disorders (e.g., delusions in bipolar disorder)
How does symptom overlap affect diagnosis?
It reduces diagnostic validity and can lead to misdiagnosis
What is culture bias in schizophrenia diagnosis?
Tendency to misinterpret culturally specific behaviours as symptoms of schizophrenia
