Symptoms, Causes & Features of Schizophrenia (Clinical Psychology)

Question 1

What are Positive Symptoms also known as?

Answer 1

Type 1 Symptoms

Question 2

What are Positive Symptoms?

Answer 2

Symptoms which add to the experience of the patients

Question 3

What types of positive symptoms can schizophrenic patients have?

Answer 3

Delusions Hallucinations Disorganised Thinking/Speech Abnormal motor behaviour Disorganised Behaviour

Question 4

What are Delusions?

Answer 4

Any beliefs they hold that they won’t change, even if there’s facts to prove it wrong

Question 5

What are Persecutory Delusions?

Answer 5

Believing someone is out to get them/ is harming them

Question 6

What are Grandiose Delusions?

Answer 6

Believing they are of a high status

Question 7

What are Referential Delusions?

Answer 7

Believing certain behaviours/language from others are somehow directed to them

Question 8

What are the 3 Types of Delusions?

Answer 8

Persecutory Grandiose Referential

Question 9

What are Hallucinations?

Answer 9

Extra perceptions that occur without them actually being present

Question 10

What are Visual Hallucinations?

Answer 10

When you see something that is not present

Question 11

What are Auditory Hallucinations?

Answer 11

Where you hear things that are not here. It may consist of two or more voices conversing with each other, or there might be a running commentary. This is thought to be the most common type of hallucination associated with schizophrenia.

Question 12

What is meant by Disorganised Thinking/Speech?

Answer 12

When they jump from topic to topic with no connection

Question 13

What is meant by abnormal motor behaviour?

Answer 13

Unpredictable reactions

Question 14

What is meant by Disorganised Behaviour?

Answer 14

Behaviours that appear bizarre and have no purpose, a lack of inhibition and impulse control, unpredictable or inappropriate emotional responses and a decline in overall daily functioning

Question 15

What are Negative Symptoms also known as?

Answer 15

Type 2 symptoms

Question 16

What are Negative Symptoms?

Answer 16

Symptoms which take away from the experience of the patients

Question 17

What are the Types of Negative Symptoms?

Answer 17

Catatonic Behaviour Diminished Emotional Expression Avolition

Question 18

What is Catatonic Behaviour?

Answer 18

A reduction in activity, where all movement stops

Question 19

What is meant by Diminished Emotional Expression?

Answer 19

Individuals show less and less emotions in their use of non-verbal communication (facial expression, eye contact, physical gestures)

Question 20

What is Avolition?

Answer 20

A lack of motivation to complete usual and self-motivated activities

Question 21

What symptoms must be displayed to be diagnosed with schizophrenia?

Answer 21

To be diagnosed with schizophrenia, the patient must display two characteristic symptoms for at least one month. Also, there must be signs of disturbed behaviour for 6 months, no evidence of drug used causing symptoms, and no depression.

Question 22

What is the Prevalence and Onset of Schizophrenia?

Answer 22

The likeliness of a person developing schizophrenia is 0.3% - 0.7%. It depends on racial/ethnic background, and gender. Episodes of psychosis associated with schizophrenia tend to appear in late adolescence - mid for males, with the peak of onset being around 20-25. For females, onset happens later, typically from 25 until 30.

Question 23

What is meant by Prognosis?

Answer 23

How long the disease will last

Question 24

What is the Prognosis of Schizophrenia?

Answer 24

It is difficult to predict the course of illness. Around 20% of those diagnosed will respond well to treatment. A large number will remain chronically ill needing regular treatment + intervention. Doctors, as yet, haven’t found a way to accurately predict an individuals prognosis after diagnosis.

Question 25

What are some Other Features of Schizophrenia?

Answer 25

Many patients will show general cognitive functioning deficits in areas such as working memory, language functioning and speed of information processing. Mood abnormalities are also common.