Schizophrenia

• What are the symptoms required for a diagnosis of schizophrenia according to DSM-5?

  • Two of the following symptoms for at least a month:
  • Positive symptoms (e.g., hallucinations, delusions)
  • Negative symptoms (e.g., avolition, social withdrawal)
• What are positive symptoms of schizophrenia?

  Experiences that are in addition to normal experiences, such as hallucinations and delusions.
• What is an example of a positive symptom of schizophrenia?

  Hallucinations, such as seeing distortions in objects.
• What are negative symptoms of schizophrenia?

  Loss of normal experiences and abilities, such as avolition and poverty of speech.
• What does avolition refer to in schizophrenia?

  A lack of purposeful behavior and energy.
• How is speech classified as a positive symptom in schizophrenia?

  If it is excessively disorganized and the sufferer wanders off the point.
• What are the reliability and validity issues in diagnosing schizophrenia?

  • Reliability:
  • Inter-rater reliability: agreement between observers.
  • Test-retest reliability: consistency over time.
  • Validity:
  • Questions about whether schizophrenia is a real disorder.
  • Concerns about misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatments.
• What did Back (1963) find regarding the concordance rate among doctors diagnosing schizophrenia?

  Only a 54% concordance rate among 153 patients diagnosed by multiple doctors.
• What is comorbidity in the context of schizophrenia?

  When schizophrenia is diagnosed alongside other disorders, potentially leading to inaccurate diagnoses.
• What are the comorbidity rates found by Bley (2009) for schizophrenia with other disorders?

  Depression 50%, drug abuse 47%, PTSD 29%, OCD 23%.
• What gender bias exists in the diagnosis of schizophrenia?

  Women's experiences are often taken less seriously and underdiagnosed compared to men.
• What cultural bias is noted in the diagnosis of schizophrenia in the UK?

  People of African-Caribbean heritage are up to nine times more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia.
• What did Loring and Powell (1988) find regarding psychiatrist diagnoses based on ethnicity and gender?

  Overdiagnosis of black clients and underdiagnosis of female clients.
• What are the biological explanations for schizophrenia?

  • Genetic explanation: polygenetic with multiple gene locations.
  • Neurotransmitter imbalance: dopamine hypothesis.
  • Structural brain abnormalities: enlarged ventricles.
• What is the concordance rate for schizophrenia in identical twins according to Gottesman (1991)?

  48% for identical twins (MZ) and 17% for non-identical twins (DZ).
• What does the dopamine hypothesis suggest about schizophrenia?

  Symptoms are due to an imbalance of the dopamine neurotransmitter in the brain.
• What are the effects of excessive dopamine in schizophrenia?

  It may lead to auditory hallucinations.
• What is the role of glutamate in schizophrenia?

  It is found in low quantities in people with schizophrenia and is involved in learning and memory.
• What did the study by Tanari (2004) find regarding children of schizophrenic mothers?

  1. 8% of children adopted into psychologically healthy families develop schizophrenia.
• What is the diathesis-stress model in relation to schizophrenia?

  It suggests that a genetic vulnerability combined with environmental stressors triggers the disorder.
• What are the psychological explanations for schizophrenia?

  • Family dysfunction: relationships within the family contribute to symptoms.
  • Double bind theory: mixed messages lead to disorganized thinking.
  • Attention deficit theory: faulty attention systems overload the mind.
• What is the double bind theory in schizophrenia?

  It suggests that mixed messages from parents lead to disorganized thinking and paranoia.
• What is expressed emotion in the context of schizophrenia?

  It refers to negative verbal interactions and emotional hostility towards the sufferer.
• What are antipsychotic medications used for?

  To control symptoms of psychosis, such as delusions and hallucinations.
• What are the differences between typical and atypical antipsychotics?

  • Typical antipsychotics:
  • First generation, treat positive symptoms, more severe side effects.
  • Atypical antipsychotics:
  • Second generation, treat both positive and negative symptoms, fewer side effects.
• What is the most effective drug mentioned for treating schizophrenia?

  Clozapine, an atypical antipsychotic.
• What did the meta-analysis by Lashette find regarding drug treatments for schizophrenia?

  Drug treatments targeting the dopamine system were more effective than placebo.
• What is the role of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating schizophrenia?

  CBT aims to identify and challenge irrational beliefs and faulty cognitions.
• What is the purpose of family therapy in treating schizophrenia?

  To improve the home situation and reduce the risk of relapse.
• What are token economies in the context of schizophrenia treatment?

  They use positive reinforcement to encourage desired behaviors in patients.
• What are the limitations of psychological treatments for schizophrenia?

  • High cost of therapy.
  • Length of treatment may lead to dropouts.
  • Requires patient engagement, which can be difficult.
• What did Dickerson find regarding token economies in schizophrenia treatment?

  They can effectively improve adaptive behavior in patients.
• What is the interactionist approach to explaining schizophrenia?

  • Combines biological and psychological factors.
  • Suggests that both genetic vulnerability and environmental triggers are involved.
• What is the significance of the diathesis-stress model in schizophrenia?

  It highlights the interaction between genetic predisposition and environmental stressors.
• What did the study by Tanari reveal about children of schizophrenic mothers?

  Children raised in dysfunctional families have a higher rate of developing schizophrenia.
• What are the implications of the interactionist approach for treating schizophrenia?

  It suggests that combining biological and psychological treatments is more effective.
• What are the potential downsides of drug therapies for schizophrenia?

  They may only suppress symptoms and not address underlying problems.
• Who are acknowledged for their support at the developer level on Patreon?

  Kat Posnik and Ahmed Romani.