Schizophrenia Flashcards
What is schizophrenia?
A type of psychosis characterised by a profound disruption of cognition and emotion
What is the basic nature of schizophrenia?
- A severe mental disorder in which thoughts and emotions are impaired so much that contact is lost with external reality
- Most often diagnosed between 15 and 35
- Typically experience delusions and hallucinations
What are the 2 types of symptoms of schizophrenia?
Positive and Negative
What is a positive symptom?
(refers to an addition to behaviour, not beneficial/good symptoms), appear to reflect an excess or distortion of normal functioning
What is a negative symptom?
Appear to reflect a loss of normal functioning
What are 5 common negative symptoms?
- Social/Occupational Dysfunction
- Avolition
- Alogia/Speech Poverty
- Affective Flattening
- Anhedonia
What is meant by avolition?
The reduction, difficulty or inability to persist in goal-directed behaviour, often mistaken for apparent disinterest
What is meant by the term ‘delusions’?
Firmly held erratic beliefs that are caused by distortions of reasoning, or misinterpretation of experiences
How might delusions be characterised for a schizophrenic person?
- They may experience delusions of paranoia, such as the belief they are being followed or spied upon
- They may experience delusions of grandeur, such as inflated beliefs about their power or importance
- They may experience delusions of reference, when they believe events in the environment are directly related to them, for example personal messages being communicated through the TV
What is meant by hallucinations?
Distortions or exaggerations of perception in any of the senses. They are most commonly in auditory form; with the patient believing someone is telling them to do something
What are 4 common positive symptoms?
- Hallucinations
- Delusions
- Catatonic Behaviour
- Disorganised thinking
What is meant by speech poverty?
The lessening of speech fluency and productivity, which reflects slowing or blocked thoughts.
How are diagnoses of schizophrenia most commonly made in the UK?
A diagnosis is made using diagnostic material such as the DSM-V
What are the 3 criterion for classification of schizophrenia by the DSM-V?
Criterion A: Two or more of the pos/neg symptoms (delusions, abolition, hallucinations)
Criterion B: Noticable dysfunction in work, interpersonal relations and self care.
Criterion C: Duration; continuous disturbance for at least 6 months, including 1 month of symptoms from Criterion A
What is disorganised speech?
The individual has problems organising thoughts and this shows up in their speech
e.g) flitting from topic to topic in a conversation
What are catatonic behaviours?
Catatonic behaviours are characterised by a reduced reaction to the immediate environment, rigid postures or aimless motor activity
What is affective flattening?
A reduction in the range and intensity of emotional expressions. Fewer body and facial movements
What is anhedonia?
- A loss of pleasure in activity
- Inability to experience pleasure from food or bodily contact (physical anhedonia)
- Inability to experience pleasure from interpersonal situations (social anhedonia)
What was the aim of Rosenhan’s study?
Reliability and Validity of Classification
Wanted to test the reliability of mental health diagnosis; to see if medical professionals could tell the sane from the insane in a clinical setting
What were Rosenhan’s findings?
All 12 hospitals diagnosed the pseudo patients as mentally ill. 11 hospitals diagnosed schizophrenia and 1 hospital diagnosed manic depression
What did Rosenhan find in his follow on study?
Rosenhan sent 0 pseudopatients in this one, all patients seeking admission were genuine.
41 were rated as pseudo patients despite actually rehiring medical attention
