Psychiatric Disorder: Schizophrenia, Research Paper Example

Part 1: Overview

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder in which patients are emotionally unstabled. Their thinking is unorthodox and they make irrational decisions due to inability to think coherently. Ultimately, the affected individuals loose interest in life and pursue their daily activities without motivation and enthusiasm. The onset is sudden, but personality abnormalities may go unnoticed for several years before detection. Usually, the condition begins at very early age during early adulthood or late adolescents. Often there is a family history of schizophrenia dating back to several generations or a preceding one. There is an incidence rate of 0 -7 %.According to 211 epidemiology reports 24 million people were affected internationally (Tandon, Gaebel, & Barch, 2013). .

Consequently, genetics have been associated with the emergence of schizophrenia. However, scientists find it difficult determining an absolute genetic etiology without also considering environmental factors; substance abuse along with some peculiar developmental issues. These include hypoxia at birth, intrauterine malnutrition; maternal stress/infection and people born during winter or spring. None of these etiological factors are conclusive, but research continues into discovering a dominant factor causing schizophrenia to develop in young people (Tandon et.al, 2013).

Researchers have identified an number of preventative measures, which can be taken in avoiding the development of schizophrenia in our society among adolescents and young adults. These include avoiding the use of drugs that would influence emotional distress and mental damage. Another important aspect is proper intranatal practices. Some infant develop cephalic hematomas, which is tearing of the tentorium; a ligament that crosses the vulnerable suture lines in the infant brain. This happens during mis management during delivery when a forceps may be used to facilitate the delivery of the fetal head. In the same way scientists are inconclusive regarding the etiology there is much controversy regarding how schizophrenia could be prevented (Tandon et.al, 2013).

Symptoms & Type

Symptoms have been classified as onset and negative positive deficits. At the onset phase persons demonstrate episodes of hallucination, delusions, disorganized thinking and speaking; inappropriate dressing and general appearance. Also, individuals experience loss in coherent thinking and delivery of information whereby trend of thought appears scattered. Accompanying these irregularities are instances of denial in the individual experiencing the disorder that they are dysfunctional (Tandon et.al, 2013).

Positive symptoms are least demonstrated in a person with schizophrenia. They encompass many of those identified the onset. The reason psychiatrists have classified as positive is due to their response to treatment. Hallucinations, delusions as well as confused thinking can be addressed by medication and therapy. However, negative symptoms are emotional. These are very difficult to treat. Patients tend to be on life time treatment and the condition remains unstabled (Fazel, Gulati, Linsell, Geddes & Grann, 2009).

More importantly, they are considered deficits because of their demonstrations. They include inadequate response of pleasure. There is desire for relationship accompanied by numerous functional disabilities. These disabilities surface as inability to perform tasks efficiently. Consequently, there is no desire to be employed or become educated. Ultimately, persons demonstrating this category of symptoms tend to become wanders carrying personal items wherever they go (Tandon et.al, 2013).

According to the Diagnostic and statistical Manual of mental disorders (DSM 5) classification there are subtypes of schizophrenia inclusive of paranoid schizophrenia and catatonia, which is not very much associated with schizophrenia in the new classification. Schizoaffective disorder is another classification considered in the subtype. Importantly the prognosis for schizophrenia is severe in that it reduces the life span by 10-25 years accompanied by poor quality of life (Tandon et.al, 2013).

Diagnosis

Schizophrenia is diagnosed by applying the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and statistical Manual of mental disorders (DSM 5) classification. A self-reported criteria is adopted when this classification is utilized. Patients are evaluated through clinical assessment by a professional psychiatrist. Symptoms occur according to a continuum and must meet the related criteria for a diagnosis to be made. Two important criteria are mandatory. They relate to the individual’s functioning abilities between a period of one to six months. Next is the patient’s identification of a negative symptom seriously disorganized individual (Fazel et.al, 2009).

Treatment

Treatment of schizophrenia embraces two types of management; medication and psychosocial interventions. Medication utilized with great success in the positive type symptoms are antipsychotic medications such as risperidone (Risperdal). There is a 40-50% success rate when this drug is used in combination with psychotherapy where necessary. Some patients show a very high resistance to antipsychotic medications. When the initial symptoms subside they are reluctant to take the drug which results in relapses. Patients with negative symptoms are difficult to treat. Clozapine is used as an effective replacement drug intervention when Risperdal fails to address symptoms in the positive type schizophrenia (Tandon et.al, 2013).

Psychotherapy is often ap0plied where negative symptoms are dominant. It involves family interaction therapy; supervised community treatment. This includes employment placements trials; cognitive remedial therapy through skills training; economic token interventions along with substance abuse weight management (Tandon et.al, 2013).

Part 11: Research article on treatment of schizophrenia

Research conducted by the Lady Reading Hospital in 2008. Supervised Treatment of Schizophrenia, a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Was this research a “true experiment”, “correlational study”, or a “Case study”. Why? You need to pick one.

This study was a randomized controlled trail, which offers correlational data. The study cannot be considered a case studysince the researchers were comparing two set of behavior to drug treatment, which relates to two variables. They utilized a large sample.

What was the hypothesis?

There was no clearly stated hypothesis. However, the assumption is that ‘Although antipsychotic medication is effective in reducing relapse rate, 30-40 percent of patients relapse within one year and 40-60 percent relapse within 2 years after discharge from 1st hospitalization even if they are receiving maintenance medication’ (Lady Reading Hospital, 2008).

Who were the participants?

Participants were of two groups. The intervention and control group namely out-patients schizophrenia patients and in patients as the intervention group.

What was the research design? How was the experiment conducted?

This was an interventional allocation randomized controlled trial evaluating the outcome of supervised psychotic medication management with patients who were allowed to self- administer their treatment.

What was their conclusion?

Both out an in-patient non-compliance was due to lack of knowledge regarding drug effectiveness cost of drugs and patients ability to pay for it in developing countries like Pakistan. Side effects were discovered as another leading cause for non-compliance in out-patients’ settings.

What were the limitations of the study?

The limitation is that data was collected from persons living in developing countries. Samples sizes were not quite defined even though there were specific inclusion and exclusion criteria

What is your suggestion for future research? Be specific and creative. “Future research should be conducted” will not earn points.

Further research ought to include both developing and developed nations since there could be great differences among behaviors when these two populations are compared from this perspective.

References

Fazel, S. Gulati, G. Linsell, L. Geddes, J. Grann, M. (2009). Schizophrenia and violence: systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Med. 6 (8): e1000120.

Lady Reading Hospital (2008). Supervised Treatment of Schizophrenia, a Randomized Controlled Trial. Retrieved on March, 11^th, 2014 from http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00392249

Tandon, R. Gaebel W., & Barch, D. ( 2013).Definition and description of  schizophrenia in the DSM-5. Schizophr. Res. 150 (1): 3–10.