Classification of Schizophrenia

• Schizophrenia

  A psychotic disorder affecting 1% of the pop. The typical onset of schizophrenia is early adulthood, men typically get diagnosed earlier than women. People with Schizo often experience an impaired reality.
• Positive Symptoms 


  Refers to additional experiences beyond those of ordinary existence
• Hallucinations 


  unusual sensory experiences. A person may see things that are not there (visual hallucinations)

  Hearing things that are not there (auditory hallucinations)
• Delusions


  Irrational beliefs that seem real but go against reality. This can include paranoid delusions (believing someone is out to get them) and delusions of grandeur (thinking they are an important figure such as Jesus).
• Speech disorganisation


  when they quickly jump from one unrelated topic to another which makes it difficult for others to understand.
• Negative symptoms 


  Refers to the loss of usual abilities and experiences
• Speech poverty 


  Limited speech production . It is also often repetitive and delayed.
• Avolition


  Difficulties beginning or keeping up with goal-directed, purposeful activity. This means they lack motivation to engage in a range of activities e.g. work/education, showering, cooking etc.
• Lack of concentration

  They may struggle to focus for a long period of time. This can, in turn, led to memory problems.
• What is the classification of schizophrenia?


  The process of categorizing schizophrenia as its own unique disorder and distinguishing it from other mental disorders.
• What is the aim of classifying schizophrenia?


  To enable more timely and accurate diagnosis and provide appropriate treatment/support.
• Which manuals classify schizophrenia?

  The DSM-5 and the ICD-10.
• What does the DSM-5 state about diagnosing schizophrenia?


  It can be diagnosed when an individual has two symptoms for a significant portion of time over a one-month period, with one being positive.
• What are examples of positive symptoms of schizophrenia?


  Hallucinations and delusions.
• How does the ICD-10 differ from the DSM-5 in diagnosing schizophrenia?


  The ICD-10 allows diagnosis with one positive symptom or two negative symptoms, while the DSM-5 requires one positive symptom.
• What implication does the difference in requirements between DSM-5 and ICD-10 have for diagnosis?


  It means that the DSM-5 requires at least one positive symptom for diagnosis, whereas the ICD-10 does not.
• What are the key differences between DSM-5 and ICD-10 in the context of schizophrenia diagnosis?


  • DSM-5 requires two symptoms, one of which must be positive.
  • ICD-10 allows diagnosis with one positive symptom or two negative symptoms.
• Reliability of the diagnosis of schizophrenia 


  Whether different psychiatrists agree when identifying whether a person has schizophrenia or not.
• What is one issue with the reliability of the diagnosis of schizophrenia?


  The use of different classification systems
• How do different classification systems affect schizophrenia diagnoses?


  Different systems like DSM-5 and ICD-10 may lead to varying diagnoses due to differing criteria.
• What is a key difference between DSM-5 and ICD-10 regarding schizophrenia diagnosis?


  DSM-5 requires a positive symptom, while ICD-10 does not and allows for two negative symptoms.
• What has research found regarding psychiatrists diagnosing schizophrenia?


  Psychiatrists may diagnose different amounts of individuals as schizophrenic depending on the classification system used.
• What is symptom overlap in the context of schizophrenia?


  It refers to when two or more conditions share symptoms.
• Which other psychological disorder shares symptoms with schizophrenia?


  Bipolar disorder
• How can symptom overlap lead to disagreements in schizophrenia diagnoses?


  One psychiatrist may identify a patient as having schizophrenia, while another may diagnose them with bipolar disorder due to shared symptoms.
• What are the implications of using different classification systems for diagnosing schizophrenia?

  • Different criteria can lead to varying diagnoses.
  • DSM-5 requires a positive symptom; ICD-10 allows two negative symptoms.
  • Research shows differing diagnosis rates based on the system used.
• What are the consequences of symptom overlap in schizophrenia and other disorders?


  • Shared symptoms can lead to misdiagnosis.
  • Example: Delusions and avolition are present in both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
  • Psychiatrists may disagree on the correct diagnosis.
• Reliability of the classification of schizophrenia 


  Whether the different classification systems/psychiatrists agree on what schizophrenia is.
• Issues with the reliability of the classification of schizophrenia.

  The use of different classification systems –

  different classification systems are used to

  diagnose schizophrenia i.e. the DSM-5 and ICD-

  10. The DSM requires a positive symptom

  whereas the ICD does not require a positive

  symptom as two negative symptoms are

  sufficient. This inconsistency means that the

  classification of schizophrenia is unreliable. This

  unreliable classification of schizophrenia

  therefore results in a confused understanding of

  what the disorder actually involves.
• Validity of the diagnosis of schizophrenia 


  Whether psychiatrists are able to accurately identify whether someone has schizophrenia or not.
• What is a significant issue with the validity of the diagnosis of schizophrenia?

  Symptom overlap
• What does symptom overlap refer to in the context of schizophrenia?


  It refers to when two or more conditions share symptoms.
• How can symptom overlap lead to misdiagnosis in schizophrenia?


  It can cause a psychiatrist to incorrectly diagnose schizophrenia when the patient may have another disorder, like bipolar disorder.
• What are some positive symptoms shared by schizophrenia and bipolar disorder?

  Delusions
• What are some negative symptoms shared by schizophrenia and bipolar disorder?


  Avolition
• What is gender bias in the context of schizophrenia diagnosis?


  It refers to the over or under diagnosis of schizophrenia for different genders.
• Which gender is diagnosed with schizophrenia more frequently?

  Men
• Why might women with schizophrenia be underdiagnosed?


  They typically function better and may experience fewer negative symptoms.
• How does the higher level of functioning in women affect schizophrenia diagnosis?


  It may make their symptoms appear too mild for a diagnosis.
• What is culture bias in the context of schizophrenia diagnosis?


  It refers to the over or under diagnosis of schizophrenia for people of different cultures.