Schizophrenia

Question 1

What is Schizophrenia

Answer 1

Disturbance in thought behaviour, emotion, identity and perception of the world

Question 2

What does it mean when schizophrenia is described as an “umbrella term”

Answer 2

there are multiple different disorders within the term

Question 3

What are positive symptoms of Schizophrenia

Answer 3

• Delusions (false beliefs despite evidence against them)
• Hallucinations (auditory) perceptual, anything that affects senses

Question 4

What are negative symptoms of schizophrenia

Answer 4

• Lack of normal response - socially inappropriate behaviour etc
• Loosening of associations - thoughts not following a controlled and purposeful order, making leaps without following normal pathways that a typical person might follow.
• Low affect - low emotional response (no mood)

Question 5

What is the diathesis-stress model

Answer 5

A psychological theory that attempts to explain a disorder, or its trajectory, as the result of an interaction between a predisposition vulnerability, the diathesis, and stress caused by life experiences

Question 6

How does the diathesis stress model work

Answer 6

• People are born with a biological predispositions (head trauma can affect this too)
• Those genetic/damage factors alone are not enough to predict the disorder, stress/environment can tip individuals into disorder
• Different individuals have different thresholds to developing schizophrenia

Question 7

When does the onset of schizophrenia usually occur

Answer 7

Begins in late teens & early twenties

Question 8

How is schizophrenia related to socioeconomic class

Answer 8

Rates are higher among economically impoverished groups - this reflects the effect poverty has on people vulnerable to illness or the inability of people with schizophrenia to hold employment

Question 9

What is the correlation between schizophrenia & suicide

Answer 9

30% will attempt suicide, 5% die by suicide (life expectancy reduced by an average of 10 years)

Question 10

What are the 6 different delusions

Answer 10

Persecution, Reference, Grandeur, Identity, Guilt, Control

Question 11

Persecution

Answer 11

Belief that others a persecuting, spying, or trying to harm them

Question 12

Reference

Answer 12

Belief that objects, events, or other people have particular significance to them

Question 13

Granduer

Answer 13

Belief they have great power, knowledge, or talent

Question 14

Identity

Answer 14

Belief they are someone else (jesus christ, prime minister)

Question 15

Guilt

Answer 15

Belief that they have committed a terrible sin

Question 16

Control

Answer 16

Belief that their thoughts and behaviours are controlled by external forces

Question 17

What is a key environmental factor in schizophrenia development

Answer 17

Childhood trauma, substance misuse

Question 18

Which kind of family environment is most likely to result in the development of schizophrenia

Answer 18

A critical, hostile, emotional intrusiveness family

Question 19

What are the chances of developing schizophrenia if your twin has it?

Answer 19

50%

Question 20

define positive symptom

Answer 20

Presents of a symptom rather than absents e.g. highly exaggerated ideas