Intro To Schizophrenia* Flashcards
What is schizophrenia?
A mental disorder affecting 1% of people
Who is most commonly affected by schizophrenia?
Men, city dwellers, and low socio-economic groups
What is a significant consequence of schizophrenia for many individuals?
Many people with it end up hospitalized or homeless
What are the two systems used to classify schizophrenia?
- International Classification of Disease (ICD-10)
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5)
What is an example of a subtype of schizophrenia?
Paranoid schizophrenia, characterized by hallucinations and delusions
What are positive symptoms in schizophrenia?
Additional experiences, including hallucinations and delusions
Define hallucinations.
Unusual sensory experiences that can be related or unrelated to the environment
What are delusions commonly referred to as?
Paranoia
List three common forms of delusions.
- Believing to be an important historical figure
- Believing to have superpowers
- Believing to be externally controlled
What are negative symptoms in schizophrenia?
Loss of usual abilities and experiences, such as speech poverty and avolition
Define speech poverty.
Reduction in the amount and quality of speech, sometimes disorganized or incoherent
What is avolition also known as?
‘Apathy’
What are the three types of avolition identified by Andreasen?
- Poor hygiene
- Lack of persistence in work/education
- Lack of energy
What indicates good reliability in psychiatric diagnosis?
When different clinicians reach the same diagnosis (inter-rater reliability) or the same clinician reaches the same diagnosis on two occasions (test-retest reliability)
How has the DSM-5 improved reliability for diagnosis?
It has provided better consistency in applying diagnoses
What does validity mean in the context of diagnosis?
Whether we are assessing what we are trying to assess
What did Cheniaux et al’s study reveal about schizophrenia diagnosis?
Discrepancies between ICD and DSM diagnoses indicate low criterion validity
What percentage of those diagnosed with schizophrenia are also diagnosed with depression or substance abuse?
Around half
What gender bias exists in schizophrenia diagnosis?
More men have been diagnosed than women since the 1980s
What might explain the gender bias in schizophrenia diagnosis?
Women may be underdiagnosed due to having close relationships and support
What cultural bias exists in diagnosing schizophrenia?
Some symptoms have different meanings in different cultures
What is the likelihood of British people with African Caribbean origins being diagnosed with schizophrenia compared to white British?
9 times more likely
What overlap exists between schizophrenia and other conditions?
Similar symptoms between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder suggest they may not be separate conditions
