Schitzophrenia

Question 1

What type of disorder is schizophrenia?

Answer 1

A psychotic / thought disorder
It is a long term mental health condition.

Question 2

What is meant by Inter rater reliability ?

Answer 2

When two or more psychiatrists make the same diagnosis on the same patients, independent of each other 80% of the time.

Question 3

What is meant by test-retest reliability?

Answer 3

Reliability is achieved when the psychiatrist makes. The same diagnosis f an individual across different times
- but this reliability does not consider natural progression

Question 4

When do males and females usually get diagnosed with schizophrenia?

Answer 4

Males: mid 20s / late teens
Females: usually later than males, in their early 30s

Question 5

1. What % of individuals recover from positive symptoms?
2. What % make a full recovery if diagnosed early?
3. What % suffer from schizophrenia symptoms and distress for the rest of their lives?

Answer 5

1. 40%
2. 20%
3. 40%

Question 6

Bleuler’s (1978) longitudinal study of 2000 schizophrenics:
1. When are symptoms most severe?
2. What percentage were said to had ‘favourable’ outcomes?
3. What percentage die by suicide?

Answer 6

1. In early adulthood, during first 5 years after onset
2. 20%
3. 5-6%

Question 7

What % of the population does schizophrenia affect?

Answer 7

0.3-0.7%

Question 8

What is the rule of 1/3 in relation to schizophrenia?

Answer 8

1/3 will get it and recover after one episode
1/3 will come and go for the rest of their life. On and off
1/3 will suffer very badly, debilitating, catatonic, very severe

Question 9

What is meant by positive symptoms of schizophrenia?

Answer 9

Behaviours that reflect an excess of normal functioning. Symptoms which are “IN ADDITION TO”.
It leads to catatonic behaviour, deduced reaction to the environment and this can last hours at a time.

Question 10

What are examples of positive symptoms?

Answer 10

Hallucinations
-Hearing or seeing things that do not exist outside the mind. They are faulty sensory input (but any sense can go wrong)

Delusions
-Unusual beliefs not based on reality
* Persecution-victimised/spied on
*Grande-great power
*Control-actions controlled by others

Disorganised thinking & speech
-Hard to concentrate on anything. Thoughts drift off from one thing to another with no connection between them. Thoughts are ‘misty’ or ‘hazy’. Trouble with finishing reading an article or watching a tv programme. Struggle with college/work. Words are jumbled making them difficult to understand- “word salad”

Question 11

What is meant by negative symptoms of schizophrenia?

Answer 11

Behaviours that appear to show a LOSS of normal functioning.

Question 12

What are examples of NEGATIVE symptoms?

Answer 12

Speech poverty (Alogia)
-Reduction communication, from slowing/ blocking of thoughts. Manifests as short, empty replies to questions. Finds it difficult to start conversations with people.

Lack of emotion (flat affect)
-Reduction or flattening of emotions. Range and intensity of facial expressions, tone of voice and eye contact reduced. Body language hard to interpret

Avolition (Social withdrawal)
-Lack of motivation, inability to persist in goal-orientated behaviour. Neglecting household chores leading to poor grooming and hygiene. Low sex drive.

Apathy
-difficulty in planning and setting goals. No interest in socialising or hobbies. A person does not want to do anything and sit in house for hours/days.