Lesson 2: The Five Types of Schizophrenia
To return back to unit: Unit 1: What is the definition of Schizophrenia?
To return back to mini-course: Students with Schizophrenia and Supporting them in the Classroom and at Home
Introduction
The definition of Schizophrenia is characterized by disruptions in thought processes, perceptions, emotional responsiveness, and social interactions. Although the course of schizophrenia varies among individuals, schizophrenia is typically persistent and can be both severe and disabling.
Five Types of Schizophrenia
The classification of schizophrenia types changed with the 2013 update of the manual that mental health professionals use to diagnose mental health conditions. This is called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
The five types of schizophrenia:
1. Paranoid Type
2. Disorganized Type
3. Catatonic type
4. Undifferentiated type
5. Residual type
Paranoid Schizophrenia
Paranoid Schizophrenia is when a person has delusions that cause a person to fear that others are watching them or trying to harm them.
Characteristics of Paranoid Schizophrenia:
1. Hallucinations
2. Delusions
3. Disorganized Speech
4. Negative Symptoms
5. Suicidal Thoughts
Click Link to watch a video on Paranoid Schizophrenia [1]
Disorganized Schizophrenia
Disorganized Schizophrenia is characterized by disorganized behavior and speech and includes disturbance in emotional expression.
Characteristics of Disorganized Schizophrenia:
1. Loose associations: Rapidly shifting between topics with no connections between topics.
2. Perseveration: Repeating the same things over and over again.
3. Unpredictable or inappropriate emotional responses.
4. Lack of impulse control.
5.Behaviors that appear bizarre or lack purpose.
6.Routine behaviors such as bathing, dressing, or brushing teeth can be severely impaired or lost.
Affect refers to a person’s emotional responses, including the way emotions are expressed (ex: smiling when feeling happy.) People with disorganized schizophrenia exhibit flat affect, which means that they show little or no emotions in their facial expressions, voice tone, or mannerisms. At times they exhibit affect that is inappropriate to the situation, such as laughing at something sad. (PSYCOM, 2020)
Click Link to Learn more about Disorganized Schizophrenia: [2]
Catatonic Schizophrenia
Catatonic Schizophrenia involves disturbances in a person’s movement. (Bengston, 2020)
Characteristics of Catatonic Schizophrenia:
1. Voluntary Movement Stops
2. Immobility or resistance to any attempt to change how they appear. They may maintain a pose in which someone places them, sometimes for extended periods of time
3. Manifest unusual facial contortions or limb movements
4. Parrot-like repeating of what another person is saying
5. Mimicking the movements of another person (Bengston, 2020)
Click Link to Learn more about Catatonic Schizophrenia: [3]
Undifferentiated Schizophrenia
Differentiated Schizophrenia is a categorization for people who do not fit into the three previous categories. While such individuals do experience significant delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, or disorganized or catatonic behavior, their symptoms are not predominantly positive, disorganized, or movement disordered.
Residual Schizophrenia
Residual schizophrenia is a term used to describe a patient who is not presently experiencing prominent delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, or disorganized or catatonic behaviors. However they are experiencing at least two of those symptoms to a lesser extent.
Final Thoughts
Understanding the different types of Schizophrenia is essential when working with students with Schizophrenia. Taking a deeper look into Schizophrenia will further the learner's knowledge and they will be able to understand a child with Schizophrenia better.
Reflect: Which type of Schizophrenia do you think is most common in young adults?
Let's review what we've learn at this [4]
To go on to the next unit: Unit 2: What are different instructional strategies and supports for students with Schizophrenia?