Clinical Characteristics

Question 1

What is Schizophrenia?

Answer 1

-A disorder characterised by distorted thinking, impaired by emotional responses, poor interpersonal skills and distortion of reality.
-In most countries, the prevalence is about 1% in the population aged 18 or over.

Question 2

What are the 2 major classification systems?

Answer 2

ICD: (International Classification of Diseases)
-Used in Britain and rest of world. Published by World Health Organisation.
-Currently on it’s 10th edition (ICD-10)
DSM: (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)
-Official classification system of American Psychiatric Association (APA).
-Used in America, only available in English.

Question 3

What is DSM-IV criteria?

Answer 3

a) Characteristic Symptoms: (two or more, present for a significant portion during 1 month period)
-delusions, hallucinations, disorganised speech, grossly disorganised or catatonic behaviour, negative symptoms.
b) Social/Occupational Dysfunction:
-significant amount of time since onset of disturbance, one or major areas of functioning such as work, interpersonal relations are below level achieved prior to onset.
c) Duration:
-continuous signs of disturbance persist for at least 6 months.
d) Exclusion of Mood Disorders:
-no major episodes of depression or elation occurred concurrently with psychotic symptoms.
e) Exclusion of Known Organic Causes:
-disturbance not due to the direct effects of drugs or a known brain disorder.

Question 4

What are positive symptoms?

Answer 4

Additional experiences:
-Hallucinations - auditory, visual, olfactory or tactile.
-Delusions - persecution, grandeur, reference.

Question 5

What are negative symptoms?

Answer 5

A reduction or loss of normal functions, 1 in 3 suffer with these, weakens the person’s ability to cope with everyday activities, symptoms respond poorly to antipsychotic treatment:
-Poverty of speech - decreased fluency and productivity, fewer number of words, less complex syntax.
Avolition - ‘apathy’, difficult to begin or keep up with goal-directed behaviour, reduced motivation, Andreason (1982) - 3 key signs = poor hygiene, lack of persistence, lack of energy.