Science Assessment Questions

Week Seven

Schizophrenia

By far the most debilitating of all psychopathologies is schizophrenia. Although its etiology is unknown, schizophrenia has definite neurological and social concomitants and has been a source of bewilderment for centuries. Some risk factors identified include greater paternal age (Miller et al., 2011); prenatal and perinatal stressors such as infection, malnutrition, maternal diabetes (Brown, 2011); and growing up in an urban environment (March et al., 2008). These risk factors by no means indicate that individuals with one or more risk factors will develop schizophrenia.

The conceptualization of this disorder began in Europe in the 19^th century. Emil Kraepelin coined the term “dementia praecox” based on his clinical observation of a disorder that resulted in severe cognitive and behavioral decline. He described nine clinical forms of the disorder. Eugen Bleuler coined the term “schizophrenia” in 1908 and described the disorder as a group of diseases. Basic symptoms included thought and speech derailment, ambivalence, affective incongruence, and withdrawal from reality. He used this term to emphasize the splitting of psychological functions.

Today, the following diagnostic criteria according to the DSM-5 is used: At least two of the following symptoms must be present for a significant portion of the time during a 1-month period, and at least one of these must be (1), (2), or (3):

1. Delusions
2. Hallucinations
3. Disorganized speech
4. Grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior
5. Negative symptoms such as diminished emotional expression

The most common age of onset is in the early to late 20s, a time which requires individuals to be at their intellectual, emotional, and functional best to obtain an education, set career goals, and establish long-term intimate relationships. The onset of schizophrenia, which may, in fact, be triggered by these challenges, can foretell great difficulties in addressing challenges and completing daily adult life tasks. This week, you will study this puzzling and distressing psychopathology.

Be sure to review this week's resources carefully. You will be expected to apply the information from these resources when you prepare your assignments.

References:

Brown, A. S. (2011). The environment and susceptibility to schizophrenia. Progress in Neurobiology, 93(1), 23–58.

March, D., Hatch, S. L., Morgan, C., Kirkbride, J. B., Bresnahan, M., Fearon, P., & Susser, E. (2008). Psychosis and place. Epidemiological Review, 30, 84–100.

Miller, B., Messias, E., Miettunen, J., Alaräisänen, A., Järvelin, M. R., Koponen, H., Räsänen, P., Isohanni, M., & Kirkpatrick B. (2011). Meta-analysis of paternal age and schizophrenia risk in male versus female offspring. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 37(5), 1039–1047.

Week Eight

Your Signature Assignment for this course involves taking a conceptual look at the DSM-5 in the form of a comprehensive research paper.

Begin by choosing one of the adult diagnostic categories you examined during the course, select a specific disorder or diagnosis, and then select a population that it affects. For example, you may select Generalized Anxiety Disorder in older adults. Research what is known about the manifestation of the disorder in the population. Be sure to include the following:

• Explain the conceptualization of the diagnosis since the first time it was proposed in the DSM classification system (You should research older versions of the DSM). Discuss the evolution of the diagnosis of the disorder in your target population.
• Provide a scholarly opinion, based on research, in which you criticize or defend the use of this diagnosis in your target population.
• Be sure to mention how well the DSM-5 is suited to deal with diversity issues (gender, age, religion, ethnicity, etc.) related to the diagnostic category you chose.
• Discuss any ethical concerns with diagnosis in the selected population.
• Explain any areas in need of improvement based on current literature and practices in the field.

Support your assignment with at least seven scholarly resources. In addition to these specified resources, other appropriate scholarly resources, including seminal articles, may be included.

Length: 12-15 pages, not including title and reference pages

References:

McCabe, M. P., Sharlip, I. D., Lewis, R., Atalla, E., Balon, R., Fisher, A. D., … Segraves, R. T. (2016). Incidence and prevalence of sexual dysfunction in women and men: A consensus statement from the fourth international consultation on sexual medicine 2015. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 13(2), 144–152.