Diagnosis & Classification AO1 Flashcards
What do psychologists use to diagnose a patient with Schizophrenia?
The DSM and ICD.
What are positive symptoms?
An excess or distortion of normal functions, for example: hallucinations, delusions, and thought disturbances such as thought insertion.
What are hallucinations and how might a patient experience them?
Hallucinations are usually auditory or visual perceptions of things that are not present. Imagined stimuli could involve any of the senses. Voices are usually heard coming from outside the person’s head giving instructions on how to behave.
What are delusions and how might a patient experience them?
Delusions are false beliefs. Usually the person has convinced themselves that they are someone powerful or important, such as Jesus Christ, the Queen (e.g. delusions of grandeur), or the prime minister. There are also delusions of persecution, worrying that certain people are out to get them.
Give three examples of stereotypical psychomotor disturbances.
Rocking backwards and forwards, twitches, and repetitive behaviours.
Define the state of ‘catatonia.’
Staying in the same position for hours/days on end, cut off from the world.
What are negative symptoms?
A diminution or loss of normal functions such as lack of volition, disturbances of mood and thought disorders.
What is loose association?
A type of thought disorder in which there are breaks in the train of thought and the person appears to make illogical jumps from one topic to another.
What is ‘word salad’?
A type of thought disorder in which words may become confused and sentences incoherent.
What is broadcasting?
A type of thought disorder in which a person believes their thoughts are being broadcast to others, for example over the radio or through TV.
What is alogia?
Speech poverty. Alogia is a thought disorder in which the correct words are used but there is little meaning.
What is avolition?
Lack of volition (i.e. desire): in which a person becomes totally apathetic and sits around waiting for things to happen. They engage in no self motivated behavior.
