diagnosis and classification of shizophrenia

Question 1

what is schizophrenia

Answer 1

it is a serious mental disorder experienced by about 1% of the world population
those with schizophrenia contact of reality and insight are impaired e.g. psychosis

Question 2

what are the classifications of schizophrenia

Answer 2

there are two ways in which you can classify schizophrenia:

• International Classification of Disease edition 10 (ICD -10)
• American Psychiatric Association and Statical Manual edition (DSM-5/DSM-U)

Question 3

how do they both differ in their classification of schizophrenia

Answer 3

DSM-5 system states that one of the positive symptoms or speech disorganisation must be present for diagnosis whereas two negative symptoms for the ICD

furthermore, ICD recognises a range of subtypes of schizophrenia

Question 4

what are the subtypes recognised by ICD

Answer 4

• paranoid schizophrenia
• hebephrenic schizophrenia
• catatonic schizophrenia

Question 5

what is paranoid schizophrenia

Answer 5

it is characterised by powerful delusions and hallucinations

Question 6

hebephrenic schizophrenia

Answer 6

primarily negative symptoms

Question 7

catatonic schizophrenia

Answer 7

disturbance to movement leaving a person immobile or alternatively overactive

Question 8

what are positive symptoms

Answer 8

positive symptoms of schizophrenia are additional experiences beyond those of ordinary existence

They include hallucinations and delusions

Question 9

what are hallucinations

Answer 9

hallucinations are a positive symptom of schizophrenia. They are sensory experiences of stimuli that have either no basis in reality or are disturbed perceptions of things that are there

Question 10

what are negative symptoms

Answer 10

negative symptoms of schizophrenia involve the loss of usual abilities and experiences

Examples include avolition and speech poverty

Question 11

what is avolition

Answer 11

avolition is sometimes called “apathy” loss of motivation to carry out tasks and results in lowered activity

There are three key areas of avolition:

• poor hygiene
• poor grooming
• lack of energy

Question 12

what is speech poverty

Answer 12

a negative symptom of schizophrenia
It involves reduced frequency and quality of speech
schizophrenia is characterised by changes in patterns of speech

Question 13

what does the DSM state about speech poverty

Answer 13

DSM systems places its emphasis on speech disorganisation in which speech becomes incoherent or the speaker changes topics mid-sentence

This is classified in DSM - 5 as a positive of schizophrenia, whilst speech poverty remains as a negative sytom