Schizophrenia: Classification And Diagnosis Of Schizophrenia

Question 1

Name two issues of classification and diagnosis of Schizophrenia

Answer 1

> Reliability

> Validity

Question 2

Name two measures of reliability

Answer 2

> Inter-rater Reliability

>Test-retest Reliability

Question 3

Define Inter-rater reliability

Answer 3

This measures reliability of questionnaires or scales which assess the severity of schizophrenic symptoms, by seeing whether two independent assessor a give similar diagnoses.

Question 4

Define test-retest reliability

Answer 4

This is a method used to check external reliability. The same test or interview is given o the same participants on two occasions to see if he same results are obtained

Question 5

Name two types of validity

Answer 5

> Comorbidity

> Prognosis

Question 6

Define Comorbidity

Answer 6

Comorbidity is the presence of two or more co-existing conditions or diseases. Such Comorbidity creates difficulties in the diagnosis of a disorder and also in deciding what treatment to advise

Question 7

Define Prognosis

Answer 7

People diagnosed as schizophrenic rarely share the same symptoms, nor is there evidence that they share the same outcomes. A diagnosis of schizophrenia, therefore has little predictive value and some people never appear to recover from the disorder by end up doing so.

Question 8

Evaluate inter-rater reliability

Answer 8

Despite the claims for increased reliability in DSM, over 30 years later there still little evidence that DSM is routinely used with high reliability by mental health clinicians.

Question 9

Name a study which backs the evaluation of inter rater reliabiity

Answer 9

Whaley

Question 10

What did Whaley find?

Answer 10

Whaley carried out a recent study which found that inter rater reliability correlations in the diagnosis of schizophrenia as low as +.11.

Question 11

Evaluate Test-retest reliability

Answer 11

Measures of cognitive functioning are vital in the diagnosis of schizophrenia, therefore must have test-retest reliability to be useful in this role.

Question 12

Name a study which supports the evaluation of test-retest reliability

Answer 12

Prescott et al.

Question 13

What did Prescott et al. find?

Answer 13

Prescott et al. analysed the test retest of several measures of attention and information processing in 14 chronic schizophrenics. Performance on these measures was stable over a 6-month period.

Question 14

Describe the issue of cultural differences in diagnosis

Answer 14

The reliability of diagnosis in schizophrenia is further challenged by the finding that there is massive variation between countries.

Question 15

Name a study which supports cultural differences in diagnosis

Answer 15

Copeland

Question 16

Describe Copeland’s findings

Answer 16

Copeland gave 134 US and 194 British psychiatrists a description of a patient. 69% of US psychiatrists diagnosed schizophrenia but only 2% of the British psychiatrists gave the same diagnosis.

Question 17

Evaluate Comorbidity and suicide risk

Answer 17

Persons with schizophrenia pose a relatively high risk for suicide with comorbid depression being the major cause for suicidal behaviour.

Question 18

Name a study which supports the evaluation of Comorbidity and suicide risk

Answer 18

Kessler et al.

Question 19

Describe Kessler’s findings

Answer 19

Kessler et al. found that among patients in the National Comorbidity Survey the rate of attempted suicide rose from 1% for those with schizophrenia alone to 40% for those with at least one lifetime comorbid mood disorder.