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Positive Symptoms of a Diagnosis for Schizophrenia

Please provide an explanation of whether psychosis-related symptoms are always indicative of a diagnosis of schizophrenia.
Why or why not?

Explain possible alternative diagnoses for psychosis-related symptoms.

List at least 6 references 3 journal articles to go with this question.

Thank you for helping me gain a better understanding of this issue.

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Diagnosis of Schizophrenia

i) Schizophrenia is characterized by delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech and behaviour, and other symptoms that cause social or occupational dysfunction. For a diagnosis, symptoms must have been present for six months and had at least one month of active symptoms.

ii) By stating psychosis-related symptoms in your question, I am to understand these as positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions). Symptoms of Schizophrenia can be both negative and positive symptoms. Negative symptoms are flat affect fixations.

iii) To receive the diagnosis of Schizophrenia in the DSM V, the patient must meet the criterion as outlined in the DSM V, that is having four out of the six symptoms, meet the threshold of severity for two of the symptoms. As well, the duration of symptoms present must be six months or more. Active symptoms (ie. psychosis) must have appeared for at ...

Solution Summary

This response looks at the symptoms for diagnosing Schizophrenia.