Psychopathology: Psychosis

Flashcards covering key concepts and terms from the lecture on Psychopathology and Psychosis, focusing on schizophrenia spectrum disorders and treatment options.

What is psychosis?

An umbrella term referring to a range of symptoms characterized by disturbances in thought, sensory perception, emotion regulation, and behavior.

What are positive symptoms of psychosis?

Excess or distortion of normal functions, including delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking, and abnormal motor behavior.

What are negative symptoms of psychosis?

Diminution or loss of normal functions, such as anhedonia, alogia, social withdrawal, and decreased self-care.

What are delusions?

Firmly held erroneous beliefs that involve misinterpretation of perceptions and experiences, resistant to change despite contradictory evidence.

What are the common themes of delusions?

Persecutory, grandiose, control, reference, nihilistic, and erotomanic.

What differentiates hallucinations from other symptoms?

Hallucinations involve sensory experiences in the absence of environmental stimuli, such as hearing voices or seeing visuals.

What is disorganized thinking?

A disorder of speech where the individual may drift from one topic to another, displaying symptoms such as derailment or neologisms.

What does ‘word salad’ refer to?

A disorganized form of speech where words and phrases are jumbled incoherently without logical connection.

What is the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia?

Requires two or more symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, disorganized behavior, or negative symptoms present for a significant time.

What is a schizoaffective disorder?

Diagnosed when symptoms meet criteria for schizophrenia while also having a significant concurrent episode of depression or mania.

What characterizes brief psychotic disorder?

Sudden onset of psychotic symptoms lasting at least one day but less than one month, often following emotional turmoil.

What does the diathesis-stress model suggest about psychosis?

It posits that psychotic symptoms arise from an inherited vulnerability that manifests in response to stressful life events.

What is the prevalence of schizophrenia spectrum disorders?

Lifetime prevalence is around 0.3-0.7%, with significant social functioning impairment.

What roles do genetic factors play in psychosis?

Individuals with first-degree relatives with schizophrenia are ten times more likely to develop symptoms.

What is the dopamine hypothesis?

It suggests that psychotic symptoms are linked with excessive activity of dopamine in the brain.

What kind of brain abnormalities are seen in those with schizophrenia?

Smaller overall brain size, enlarged ventricles, reduction in cortical grey matter, and abnormalities in specific brain areas.

What is the aim of cognitive-behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp)?

To target and change dysfunctional thoughts and beliefs associated with psychosis and improve medication compliance.

What is the primary biological treatment for psychosis?

Antipsychotic drugs, which alleviate but do not cure psychotic symptoms.

What provides support in family management during psychotic illness?

Supportive family management encourages discussion and sharing experiences among family members to enhance coping.

What effects does high expressed emotion (EE) in families have on individuals with psychosis?

High EE can lead to increased stress and a greater risk of relapse in individuals with psychotic symptoms.

What is the focus of personal therapy for individuals with psychosis?

To help recently discharged patients develop skills for daily living and manage relapse indicators.

What outcomes to expect from community care programs for individuals with psychotic disorders?

Stability in condition, compliance with treatment, but not necessarily improved symptoms.

What is social selection theory in relation to mental health?

It posits that individuals with mental health issues will experience downward social drift due to their condition.

What does social labelling theory suggest?

The diagnosis of a mental illness can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy, influencing the individual’s behavior and social perception.

What are the cognitive biases linked to psychosis?

Attentional biases, attributional biases, and reasoning biases that can contribute to the development of delusional beliefs.

Who coined the term ‘schizophrenia’ and when?

Eugen Bleuler in 1908, from Greek words meaning split mind.

What is the association between childhood adversity and later psychotic symptoms?

Childhood adversity can play a significant role in the onset of psychotic symptoms in later life.

What is the main goal of assertive community treatment (ACT)?

To help clients maintain independence, reduce hospital admissions, and improve overall quality of life.

What key factors are associated with the onset of schizophrenia in stress-diathesis models?

Critical life stressors and inherited biological vulnerabilities interact to cause symptom onset.

How does cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) assist those with psychosis?

By restoring cognitive skills such as memory, verbal fluency, and perceptual skills using training methods.