Schizophrenia: Symptoms & Diagnosis
A student believes the school announcements are secret messages meant only for them. This symptom is best classified as:
A. Hallucination
B. Delusion
C. Disorganized speech
D. Flat affect
What is Delusion
This hypothesis suggests schizophrenia is linked to excess _________ activity in certain areas of the brain. Hint: which neurotransmitter is it?
What is dopamine
A person who cannot recall important personal information following trauma may have dissociative __________.
What is amnesia
Dissociative disorders involve a loss of contact with reality similar to schizophrenia. True or False?
What is False (Reality testing is usually intact)
Dissociative Disorders -Reality testing is generally intact
Patients know something is “off” or unusual
Recognize experiences as internal or stress-related
Do not believe their experiences are external reality
Schizophrenia -Reality testing is impaired
Patients believe delusions are true (e.g., “The government is spying on me”)
Experience hallucinations and think they are real
Even when shown evidence, they may not recognize the experience as false
Both schizophrenia and dissociative disorders can involve disruptions in thinking or identity. True or False?
What is True
A patient reports hearing voices that comment on their actions even when no one is around. Which type of schizophrenia symptom is this? Positive or Negative?
What is False - these are positive symptoms
Which treatment is most commonly used to manage schizophrenia symptoms?
A. Electroconvulsive therapy
B. Antipsychotic medication
C. Psychoanalysis
D. Exposure therapy
What is Antipsychotic medication
A woman suddenly travels to another state and cannot remember her identity or past. This best describes:
A. Dissociative identity disorder
B. Depersonalization disorder
C. Dissociative fugue
D. Schizophrenia
What is Dissociative fugue
Dissociative disorders are often viewed as coping mechanisms for __________ or overwhelming stress.
What is trauma
Which disorder typically involves hallucinations and delusions?
A. Dissociative amnesia
B. Schizophrenia
C. Dissociative identity disorder
D. Depersonalization disorder
What is Schizophrenia
A man hears voices arguing even when he is alone. These voices represent auditory __________.
What is hallucinations
A patient with schizophrenia stops taking their medication because they believe it is poison planted by the government. This behavior is most directly linked to which symptom?
A. Hallucination
B. Delusion
C. Flat affect
D. Catatonia
What is delusion
Dissociative Identity Disorder involves two or more distinct personality states. True or False?
What is True
Which symptom is MOST characteristic of dissociative disorders?
A. Hallucinations
B. Delusions
C. Disorganized speech
D. Memory disruption
What is memory disruption
Unlike schizophrenia, dissociative disorders generally do not involve a loss of __________.
What is reality contact (reality testing)
Dissociative Disorders -Reality testing is generally intact
Patients know something is “off” or unusual
Recognize experiences as internal or stress-related
Do not believe their experiences are external reality
Schizophrenia -Reality testing is impaired
Patients believe delusions are true (e.g., “The government is spying on me”)
Experience hallucinations and think they are real
Even when shown evidence, they may not recognize the experience as false
A patient jumps rapidly between unrelated topics, making it difficult to follow their conversation. This symptom is known as:
A. Catatonia
B. Word salad
C. Delusions of grandeur
D. Flat affect
What is word salad
A teen with a genetic risk for schizophrenia begins showing symptoms after heavy drug use and extreme stress. This best supports the:
A. Humanistic model
B. Diathesis-stress model
C. Cognitive model
D. Behavioral model
What is Diathesis-stress model
A patient describes feeling detached from their body, as if watching themselves in a movie is experiencing _____________.
What is Depersonalization/Derealization disorder
A patient with dissociative identity disorder is always aware of their alternate identities. True or False?
What is False
A patient hears voices commanding them to act, while another experiences memory gaps after trauma. Which statement is accurate?
A. Both are dissociative disorders
B. Both involve delusions
C. Both are schizophrenia
D. The first is schizophrenia, the second is dissociative
What is The first is schizophrenia, the second is dissociative
A patient shows little emotional expression, rarely speaks, and has difficulty starting or maintaining conversations.
These behaviors are examples of positive or negative symptoms of schizophrenia?
What is negative symptoms
A patient with schizophrenia remains motionless for hours, shows little response to their surroundings, and resists attempts to be moved into a different position. This behavior is best described as:
A. Flat affect
B. Catatonia
C. Avolition
D. Word salad
What is catatonia
Which disorder is most strongly linked to severe childhood trauma?
A. Schizophrenia
B. Bipolar disorder
C. Dissociative Identity Disorder
D. OCD
What is Dissociative Identity Disorder
Switching between identities in DID is often triggered by __________.
What is extreme stress or trauma
Explain ONE key difference between schizophrenia and dissociative disorders.
What is Schizophrenia involves psychosis (hallucinations and delusions), while Dissociative disorders involve disruptions in memory or identity without losing contact with reality.