Schizophrenia

Question 0

When is the onset of schizophrenia?

Answer 0

Typically, late adolescence to early adulthood, though it can manifest in children or later in adulthood.

Question 1

What are the early warning signs of schizophrenia?

Answer 1

Distortion of hygiene (often 1st sign), social withdrawal, deterioration of relationships, hostility, indifference, odd behavior, change of personality.

Question 2

What causes schizophrenia?

Answer 2

Cause is unknown, but it probably results from a combination of genetic, neurobiological and non-genetic factors.

Question 3

What is autistic thinking?

Answer 3

Ideas are derived from internal or private stimuli. These perceptions are not congruent with reality.

Question 4

What is concrete thinking?

Answer 4

Characterized by immediate experience rather than abstraction. Overemphasis on specifics.

Question 5

What is loose association?

Answer 5

Thinking is haphazard, illogical, confused and connections are interrupted.

Question 6

What is tangential thinking?

Answer 6

An association disturbance in which the speaker goes off topic.

If the speaker frequently goes on tangents and doesn’t return to the topic, communication is destroyed.

Question 7

What is blocking?

Answer 7

A sudden interruption in spontaneous flow of thinking or speaking. An absence or deprivation of thought.

Question 8

What is an idea of reference?

Answer 8

False impressions that outside events have special meaning for oneself.

Question 9

What are persecutive thoughts?

Answer 9

The belief that others are hostile or trying to harm the individual.

Question 10

What is grandeur?

Answer 10

It is an exaggerated feeling or belief in or claims about ones importance or identity.

Question 11

What are somatic thoughts?

Answer 11

An excessive preoccupation with physical symptoms. Body altered from normal form or function.

Question 12

What is echolalia?

Answer 12

The act of mimicking or imitating the speech of another person.

Question 13

What is clang association?

Answer 13

This is the meaningless rhyming of words. (It’s often in a forceful manner.)

Question 14

What is a neologism?

Answer 14

A word that a person makes up that has meaning only for that person.

Question 15

What is word salad?

Answer 15

The mixture of phrases that are meaningless to the listener and the speaker.

Question 16

What is an illusion?

Answer 16

An error in perception of a sensory stimulus.

Question 17

What is a hallucination?

Answer 17

A sensory perception for which no external stimulation exists.

Question 18

What are perceptual body changes?

Answer 18

Loss of the sense where ones body ends and inanimate objects begin. Disassociation of body parts.

Question 19

What is depersonalization?

Answer 19

A feeling of unreality or self-estrangement.

Question 20

What is a blunted affect?

Answer 20

An extreme restriction in emotional expression, only minor degrees of emotional change is present.

Question 21

What is a flat affect?

Answer 21

A lack of emotional expression. An insufficiently intense emotional display in association with ideas or situations that would call for a stronger response.

Question 22

What is affective ambivalence?

Answer 22

This is the simultaneous conflicting feelings or attitudes toward a person, object or desire.

Question 23

What is an inappropriate affect?

Answer 23

An emotional response not appropriate for the situation.

Question 24

What is an over-responsive affect?

Answer 24

This is an excessively intense emotional response.

Question 25

What are the motor changes associated with schizophrenia?

Answer 25

General (withdraw, lack of interest, inactivity), mannerisms (odd, ritualistic or inappropriate) and waxy flexibility (the holding of unusual positions for extended periods of time).

Question 26

What are social changes of schizophrenia?

Answer 26

Withdrawal, disturbed relationships, self care deficits, inability to maintain a job, risk of physical health impairment, poor nutrition and lack of support systems.

Question 27

What is paranoid schizophrenia?

Answer 27

This type is dominated by hallucinations and delusions. Disorganized speech and behavior is less evident.

Question 28

What is disorganized schizophrenia?

Answer 28

This type is dominated by disorganized speech and behavior, inappropriate affect, odd behavior. Delusion and hallucinations are fragmented.

Question 29

What is catatonic schizophrenia?

Answer 29

This type is characterized by motor immobility, stupor and waxy flexibility. Mutism, posturing, echolalia, echopraxia and purposeless motto activity may be present with agitation.

Question 30

What is undifferentiated schizophrenia?

Answer 30

This type has active symptoms, but no one clinical picture dominates.

Question 31

What is residual type schizophrenia?

Answer 31

This type has no active symptoms, but retains social changes of schizophrenia.

Question 32

What are the positive signs of schizophrenia?

Answer 32

Delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, disorganized/catatonic behavior.

Question 33

This negative symptom of schizophrenia is characterized by an emotional restriction in range/intensity.

Answer 33

Affect.

Question 34

This negative symptom of schizophrenia is characterized by difficulty in thinking and responding.

Answer 34

Alogia.

Question 35

This negative symptom of schizophrenia is characterized by difficulty completing goal directed behaviors.

Answer 35

Avolition.

Question 36

This negative symptom of schizophrenia is characterized by lack of pleasure in once enjoyable activities.

Answer 36

Anhedonia.

Question 37

This negative symptom of schizophrenia is characterized by the removal of oneself from society or social interactions.

Answer 37

Withdrawal.

Question 38

What is schizophreniform disorder?

Answer 38

This disorder is similar to schizophrenia. The primary difference is that patients symptoms resolve within six months (or six months have not yet passed from onset of symptoms).

Question 39

What is schizoaffective disorder?

Answer 39

Two sets of symptoms are present during the same episode of illness. These symptoms include schizophrenic ones and a mood disorder (depression or manic).

Question 40

What stressors can cause relapse in schizophrenics?

Answer 40

Physiological, personal, interpersonal and community.

Question 41

What interventions can prevent schizophrenic relapse?

Answer 41

Anti-psychotic meds, psychosocial treatment, education/support, family interventions, cognitive-behavioral therapy and social skill training