BOX 16.1 POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA
Associative looseness
Fragmented or poorly related thoughts and ideas
Ambivalence + or -
+
Associative looseness + or -
+
Bizarre behavior + or -
+
Delusions + or -
+
Echopraxia + or -
+
Flight of ideas + or -
+
Hallucinations + or -
+
Ideas of reference + or -
+
Perseveration + or -
+
Alogia + or -
-
Anhedonia + or -
-
Apathy + or -
-
Asociality + or -
-
Avolition or lack of volition + or -
-
Blunted affect + or -
-
Catatonia + or -
-
Flat affect + or -
-
Inattention + or -
-
Avolition or lack of volition
Absence of will, ambition, or drive to take action or accomplish tasks
Flat affect
Absence of any facial expression that would indicate emotions or mood
Flight of ideas
Continuous flow of verbalization in which the person jumps rapidly from one topic to another
Ideas of reference
False impressions that external events have special meaning for the person
Hallucinations
False sensory perceptions or perceptual experiences that do not exist in reality
Anhedonia
Feeling no joy or pleasure from life or any activities or relationships
Apathy
Feelings of indifference toward people, activities, and events
Delusions
Fixed false beliefs that have no basis in reality
Ambivalence
Holding seemingly contradictory beliefs or feelings about the same person, event, or situation
Echopraxia
Imitation of the movements and gestures of another person whom the client is observing
Inattention
Inability to concentrate or focus on a topic or activity, regardless of its importance
Bizarre behavior
Outlandish appearance or clothing; repetitive or stereotyped, seemingly purposeless movements; unusual social or sexual behavior
Catatonia
Psychologically induced immobility occasionally marked by periods of agitation or excitement; the client seems motionless, as if in a trance
Perseveration
Persistent adherence to a single idea or topic; verbal repetition of a sentence, word, or phrase; resisting attempts to change the topic
Blunted affect
Restricted range of emotional feeling, tone, or mood
Alogia
Tendency to speak very little or to convey little substance of meaning (poverty of content)
The symptoms of schizophrenia are divided into two major categories: *Positive or hard* symptoms/signs, which include
delusions, hallucinations, and grossly disorganized thinking, speech, and behavior
The symptoms of schizophrenia are divided into two major categories: *Negative or soft* symptoms/signs, which include
flat affect, lack of volition, and social withdrawal or discomfort.
Asociality
social withdrawal, few or no relationships, lack of closeness