classification and diagnosis

• what is classification?

  CD-10 and DSM-5 cluster symptoms together to identify disorders and distinguish from each other
• what is a diagnosis?

  classification used to identify disorders in individuals with specific symptoms
• what are positive symptoms?

  Hallucinations: unreal or distorted or sensory experiences auditory(hearing voices) , visual (distorted faces)
• what are negative symptoms?

  avolition : loss of/or severely reduced motivation, low activity levels.

  speech poverty: reduced frequency or quality of speech, disorganisation
• what is schizophrenia?


  A mental disorder characterized by abnormal social behavior and failure to understand reality. Experienced by 1% of the world. Occurs in late adolescence or early adulthood but can be anytime. DSM classifies it as a psychosis, no concept of reality.
• Schizoprhenia as a worldwide disease?

  Culturally universal; however, both the symptoms and how common it is vary per culture. Peak incidence of onset is 25-30 yrs. More common in men, city dwellers and lower socioeconomic-economic groups. Interfere with everyday tasks and some end up hospitalised.
• what does a medical approach say about diagnosing?

  In order to diagnose we must distinguish one disorder from another. Identifying clusters that occur together. Diagnosis is possible by identifying symptoms and deciding the disorder.
• what are the two major systems of classification that differ in their classification of schizophrenia?

  ICD-10 ( two or more negative symptoms must be present) and DSM-5 ( one positive symptom must be present)
• Positive symptoms are a what to what a normal person experiences ?

  An addition.
• negative symptoms are behaviours that are a …. to everyday experiences?


  a loss/ missing
• positive symptoms of someone with schizophrenia include:

  hallucinations and delusions.
• what are hallucination?

  unusual perceptions of the environment that can be experienced in relation to any sense
• examples of hallucinations

  • auditory: hearing voices that others can’t ( commenting on behaviour and criticising them)
  • visual: lights, objects or faces
  • olfactory: smelling things
  • tactile: feeling things ( bugs on skin)
• what are delusions?


  Irrational beliefs that seem real to the person with schizophrenia.
• examples of delusions

  • Paranoia: Persecuted ( governmount is spying on them), others want to harm, manipulate or threaten you.
  • Grandeur: Believe they are famous or God
  • Control: controlled by aliens, spirits or brain implant
• negative symptoms cause a decline in functioning. Suffers can’t hold down jobs without stress. Household chores are not completed, raising of children is difficult and maintaining a social life.
• what is avolition?


  Lack of motivation or inability to initiate and complete tasks. Examples of this include: no longer going out with friends, no longer in hobbies, lack of interest in anything, poor hygiene, lack of persistance in work or education, lack of energy.
• What is speech poverty ( alogia) ?

  Inability to speak properly and reduction in amount of fluid words, slow delay in verbal responses. Show blocked thoughts