Diagnosis/Symptoms
These symptoms are in excess in schizophrenia patients and include delusions, hallucinations, catatonic behavior, and disorganized thinking
What are positive symptoms?
This hypothesis states that the brains of those with schizophrenia produce more dopamine than those without the disorder. The hypothesis identifies a link between excessive amounts of dopamine or dopamine receptors and positive symptoms of schizophrenia and related disorders.
What is the dopamine hypothesis?
This treatment of schizophrenia involves the use of medication known as antipsychotics and atypical antipsychotics that are aimed to reduce the effect of symptoms
What is biochemical treatment?
Important application to real life, effective in reducing the postive symptoms of schizophrenia. Can cause tardive dyskenesia and extrapyramidal symptoms
What are strengths and weaknesses of biomedical treatment?
These symptoms are absent in schizophrenia patients and include lack of social interaction, lack of organized speech and lack of facial expressions
What are negative symptoms?
This 1972 study measured the genetic component responsible for schizophrenia by using twin studies. They used 24 sets of monozygotic twins and 33 sets of dizygotic twins and found 50% of MZ had shared schizophrenic status and 9% of DZ twins had share status
What is Gottesman & Shields twin studies (1972)?
This therapy is a biological treatment that involves passing electricity through the brain with the intention of inducing a seizure, and is used only for extreme cases of schizophrenia.
What is electro-convulsive therapy?
Can reduce catatonic symptoms and alleviate extreme cases. Is less effective and requires multiple sessions
What are strengths and weaknesses of ECT?
Symptoms must be present for 6 months, cannot be attributed to illegal substances medication, and patient must show lack of normal functioning
What are the DSM-V requirements for diagnosing schizophrenia?
Research has found that these fluid filled cavities in the brain are larger in schizophrenics due to brain cell loss.
What are enlarged ventricles?
This 1977 study involved the use of operant conditioning to reinforce appropriate behaviors with schizophrenia patients. Patients were given a token as a reward for an appropriate behavior (ex. social interaction and attending therapy) and could exchange for items.
What is Paul and Lentz (1977)?
Sucessful in reduction of catatonic behavior and social withdrawal, can help ensure long-term managment of symptoms and discharge of patients. However less successful in reducing hallucinations and delusional thinking
What are strengths and weaknesses of token economy?
The presence of these in the womb, such as viruses, may be linked to higher risks of developing schizophrenia
What are social/environmental causes?
This is an approach that incorporates principles of both the cognitive and behaviorist approaches to psychology. It is a talking therapy designed to help people change through recognizing thoughts which underlie their behaviors.
What is cognitive behavioral therapy?
Promising treatment for reducing the distress, disability, and hospitalization that occurs in individuals who do respond to antipsychotic medication. Requires nurses or specialized professionals.
What are strengths and weaknesses of CBT?
This approach to schizophrenia sees schizophrenia and related disorders are viewed as involving faulty mental processes, rather than relying solely on physiological explanations. Frith describes schizophrenia as an 'abnormality of self-monitoring'.
What is the cognitive approach to schizophrenia?