Symptoms, Causes & Features of Schizophrenia (Clinical Psychology) Flashcards
What are Positive Symptoms also known as?
Type 1 Symptoms
What are Positive Symptoms?
Symptoms which add to the experience of the patients
What types of positive symptoms can schizophrenic patients have?
Delusions Hallucinations Disorganised Thinking/Speech Abnormal motor behaviour Disorganised Behaviour
What are Delusions?
Any beliefs they hold that they won’t change, even if there’s facts to prove it wrong
What are Persecutory Delusions?
Believing someone is out to get them/ is harming them
What are Grandiose Delusions?
Believing they are of a high status
What are Referential Delusions?
Believing certain behaviours/language from others are somehow directed to them
What are the 3 Types of Delusions?
Persecutory Grandiose Referential
What are Hallucinations?
Extra perceptions that occur without them actually being present
What are Visual Hallucinations?
When you see something that is not present
What are Auditory Hallucinations?
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.
What is meant by Disorganised Thinking/Speech?
When they jump from topic to topic with no connection
What is meant by abnormal motor behaviour?
Unpredictable reactions
What is meant by Disorganised Behaviour?
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
What are Negative Symptoms also known as?
Type 2 symptoms
What are Negative Symptoms?
Symptoms which take away from the experience of the patients
What are the Types of Negative Symptoms?
Catatonic Behaviour Diminished Emotional Expression Avolition
What is Catatonic Behaviour?
A reduction in activity, where all movement stops
What is meant by Diminished Emotional Expression?
Individuals show less and less emotions in their use of non-verbal communication (facial expression, eye contact, physical gestures)
What is Avolition?
A lack of motivation to complete usual and self-motivated activities
What symptoms must be displayed to be diagnosed with schizophrenia?
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.
What is the Prevalence and Onset of Schizophrenia?
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.
What is meant by Prognosis?
How long the disease will last
What is the Prognosis of Schizophrenia?
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.
What are some Other Features of Schizophrenia?
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.
