Schizophrenia (P3)

Question 1

Define schizophrenia

Disagnosis and classification of schizophrenia

Answer 1

A severe mental disorder where contact with reality and insight are impaired, an example of psychosis

Question 2

How do the DSM-5 and ICD-10 differ?

Disagnosis and classification of schizophrenia

Answer 2

• DSM-5, one positive symptom must be present (delusions, hallucinations)
• ICD-10, 2 or more negative symptoms must be present (avoliton and speech poverty)

Question 3

What are positive symptoms?

Disagnosis and classification of schizophrenia

Answer 3

• Additional experiences beyond those of ordinary existence
• Hallucinations
• Delusions

Question 4

Define hallucinations

Disagnosis and classification of schizophrenia

Answer 4

• Positive symptom
• Sensory experience that has no basis in reality or distorted perceptions of real things
• Experienced in relation to any sense
• E.g. hearing voices

Question 5

Define delusions

Disagnosis and classification of schizophrenia

Answer 5

• Positive symptom
• Beliefs have no basis in reality
• Makes a person with schizophrenia behave in ways that make sense to them but are bizarre to others
• Delusions of grandeur (belief about being a very important person)
• Delusions of persecution (victims of a conspiracy, gov etc)

Question 6

What are negative symptoms?

Disagnosis and classification of schizophrenia

Answer 6

Loss of usual abilites and experiences

Question 7

Define avolition

Disagnosis and classification of schizophrenia

Answer 7

• Negative symptom
• Sevre loss of motivation to carry out everyday tasks (e.g. hygeine)
• Results in lowered activity levels and unwillingness to carry out goal-directed behaviours

Question 8

Define speech poverty

Disagnosis and classification of schizophrenia

Answer 8

• Negative symptom
• A reduction in the amount and quality of speech
• May include a delay in verbal responses during conversation
• DSM emphasises speech disorganisation and incoherence

Question 9

What are issues in diagnosis?

Disagnosis and classification of schizophrenia

Answer 9

• Reliability - extent to which diagnosis is consistent
• Validity - extent to which diagnosis and classification techiques measure what they’re designed to measure
• Co-morbidity - occurence of 2 illnesses together which confuse diagnosis and treatment
• Symptom overlap - When 2 or more conditions share symptoms questioning the validity of the classification