Clinical Characteristics of Schizophrenia

Question 1

what is schizophrenia

Answer 1

Schizophrenia is a psychological disorder characterised by loss of contact with reality

Question 2

…? is more commonly diagnosed with Sz
–> women or men
–> in cities or rural areas
–> upper class or working class

Answer 2

MEN

CITIES

WORKING CLASS

Question 3

What are the 2 types of symptoms Schizophrenics

Answer 3

POSITIVE and NEGATIVE symptoms

Question 4

define positive symptoms

Answer 4

Positive symptoms mean adding something to the persons personality that were not there before

Question 5

what are the 2 positive symptoms

Answer 5

Hallucinations and delusions

Question 6

define hallucinations

Answer 6

bizarre, unreal perceptions of the environment

Question 7

examples of hallucinations

Answer 7

auditory, visual, olfactory and tactile hallucinations

Question 8

example of auditory hallucinations

Answer 8

hearing voices of people who arent there
Hearing music, animal calls, or the telephone ringing
Hearing simple sounds like clicking or tapping

Question 9

example of visual hallucinations

Answer 9

see distorted facial expressions
Seeing imaginary characters
Seeing distorted images
Seeing things with the wrong shape
Seeing things moving in ways they usually don’t
Seeing insects crawling on your hand or on the face of someone you know
Seeing odd lights

Question 10

example of olfactory hallucinations

Answer 10

smelling things that aren’t there
e.g:
Smelling something burnt, like rubber, toast, or garbage
Smelling something unpleasant, like chemicals, tobacco smoke, or mold
Smelling something pleasant, like freshly baked sweets
Smelling something odd, like holiness or space aliens

Question 11

example of tactile hallucinations

Answer 11

Hallucinating a false sense of touch or movement in the body

Feeling like bugs are crawling on your skin
Feeling like your internal organs are moving around
Feeling a blast of hot air on your face
Feeling like someone is touching you

Question 12

what are negative symptoms

Answer 12

means taking something away from a persons personality that was there before

Question 13

what are 2 negative symptoms

Answer 13

Speech Poverty
Avolition

Question 14

what is speech poverty

Answer 14

lessening of speech fluency and productivity + a delay to respond during conversations

Question 15

what is avolition

Answer 15

reduced intrests and desires as well as an inability to do goal-directed behaviour

Question 16

what is an example of avolition

Answer 16

poor hygiene – as they can’t bring themselves to use shower, brush teeth etc
Lack of persistence with education or Work
Lack of energy ‘fatigue’

Question 17

what is a delusion

Answer 17

bizarre belief that seems real to the person

Question 18

example of delusions

Answer 18

believing your a historical figure, or believing you’re being controlled by external forces etc

Question 19

what are the two books we use to diagnose mental illnesses such as Sz

Answer 19

the ICD-10
the DSM

Question 20

what does the DSM need for schizophrenia to be diagnosed

Answer 20

it needs at least one positive symptom

Question 21

TRUE or FALSE: the DSM acknowledge subtypes of schizophrenia

Answer 21

FALSE

Question 22

what does the ICD need for a schizophrenia to be diagnosed

Answer 22

Two or more negative
symptoms is sufficient as well as positive symptoms

Question 23

TRUE or FALSE: The ICD doesnt acknowledge subtypes of schizophrenia

Answer 23

FALSE
the ICD does acknowledge the existence of subtypes of Sz (catatonic and paranoid)