Reliability And Validity Of Diagnosing Schizophrenia Flashcards
What is reliability in terms of the diagnosis and classification of SZ
Ensuring there is consistency in the diagnosis and classification of schizophrenia by different psychiatrists across time and cultures (the consistency of measurements- produces the same data)
What is validity in terms of diagnosis and classification of SZ
Ensuring that the patient is receiving a correct diagnosis of SZ and that SZ has been correctly classified (refers to whether an observed effect is a genuine one)
What are two factors which brings into question the reliability of diagnosing schizophrenia
- Cultural differences
- Inter-rater reliability
What are three factors which brings into question the validity of diagnosing schizophrenia
- Symptom overlap
- Co-morbidity
- Gender bias
What are the cultural differences in the context of diagnosing schizophrenia
There are some positive symptoms of schizophrenia which would be seen as acceptable in African cultures and would not receive a diagnosis of schizophrenia- eg. Hearing voices due to cultural beliefs in communication with ancestors so schizophrenia may be inconsistently diagnosed between cultures
What is inter-rater reliability in the context of diagnosing schizophrenia
The extent to which two or more mental health professionals arrive at the same diagnosis for the same patients
What is symptom overlap
Symptoms of a disorder may not be unique to that disorder but may also be found in other disorders, making accurate diagnosis difficult
What is co-morbidity
The extent that two or more diseases occur simultaneously in a patient- brings into question classification of schizophrenia as if it is commonly found alongside other disorders, it may not be a separate condition
How does gender bias affect the validity of diagnosing schizophrenia
Males are more likely to be diagnosed than females as females appear to functions better- means schizophrenia could be unrecognised in females
