Sczhizophrenia (PAPER 3) Flashcards
(AO1) What are the two main classification systems used to diagnose schizophrenia?
DSM-5 (American) and ICD-11 (International). DSM-5 requires at least one positive symptom; ICD-11 allows more subtypes and broader criteria.
(AO1) What are positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia?
Positive: hallucinations, delusions, disorganised speech/behaviour. Negative: avolition, alogia (speech poverty).
(AO3) What is a major issue with reliability in schizophrenia diagnosis?
Low inter-rater reliability — different psychiatrists may give different diagnoses for the same patient.
(AO3) How does culture bias affect the diagnosis of schizophrenia?
Afro-Caribbean individuals in the UK are more likely to be diagnosed than white individuals, possibly due to misinterpretation of cultural norms.
(AO3) What is symptom overlap and how does it affect validity?
Schizophrenia shares symptoms with bipolar and depression (e.g. avolition), reducing diagnostic validity.
(AO1) What does the dopamine hypothesis suggest about schizophrenia?
Hyperactivity of dopamine in subcortical brain areas causes positive symptoms; revised version also includes hypoactivity in the prefrontal cortex for negative symptoms.
(AO1) What genetic evidence supports the biological explanation?
Gottesman (1991): Concordance rates — MZ twins = 48%, DZ twins = 17%; shows genetic influence.
(AO1) What do neural correlates refer to in schizophrenia research?
Brain structure/function differences linked to symptoms, e.g., enlarged ventricles, reduced activity in prefrontal cortex.
(AO3) Why is the dopamine hypothesis considered reductionist?
It oversimplifies the disorder, ignoring psychological and social influences.
(AO3) What’s a strength of genetic explanations?
Twin and adoption studies consistently show a higher concordance in MZ twins, suggesting a heritable component.
(AO3) What’s a limitation of neural correlates?
Correlation does not imply causation — abnormal brain activity may be a result of the disorder, not a cause.
(AO1) What are the main psychological explanations for schizophrenia?
Family dysfunction (e.g. double bind, expressed emotion), cognitive explanations (e.g. faulty information processing, metarepresentation issues).
(AO1) What is expressed emotion (EE)?
A family communication style with high criticism, hostility, and emotional overinvolvement — linked to relapse.
(AO3) What research supports cognitive explanations?
Stirling et al. (2006) – Stroop test: schizophrenic patients performed worse, suggesting problems with central control.
(AO3) What’s a limitation of family dysfunction theories?
Blames families without clear causal evidence; ethical issues with parent-blaming.
(AO3) How do psychological explanations complement biological ones?
The diathesis-stress model suggests both biological vulnerability and environmental stress are involved.
(AO1) What are typical antipsychotics and how do they work?
e.g. Chlorpromazine — block dopamine receptors to reduce positive symptoms.
(AO1) What are atypical antipsychotics?
e.g. Clozapine, Risperidone — target dopamine and serotonin, aim to reduce both positive and negative symptoms with fewer side effects.
(AO3) What is a strength of drug therapy for schizophrenia?
Large body of research shows effectiveness in reducing symptoms, especially positive ones.
(AO3) What is a limitation of drug treatments?
Side effects (e.g., tardive dyskinesia, weight gain), leading to non-compliance.
(AO1) What is the aim of CBT for schizophrenia?
Helps patients identify and challenge irrational beliefs (e.g. delusions) to reduce distress.
(AO1) What is family therapy in schizophrenia treatment?
Educates families to reduce EE, improve communication and reduce relapse risk.
(AO1) What are token economies?
Behavioural therapy in institutions — patients receive tokens for desirable behaviour, which can be exchanged for rewards.
(AO3) What’s a strength of CBT for schizophrenia?
Helps patients manage symptoms and reduces hospitalisation; especially effective when combined with medication.
