Is there an over-association of positive symptoms when considering Schizophrenia Spectrum?
For many young people who develop Schizophrenia goals and aspirations are often neglected or given up on because of the severity and range of symptoms. Often associated with the disease are positive symptoms, auditory and/or visual hallucinations, delusional thinking, and beliefs. These things are most frequently associated with the Schizophrenia Spectrum because they are misunderstood by the general public and are very often exemplified on tv and in films. But are the negative symptoms (lack of interest and motivation, as well as flat affect and loss of socialization) overlooked and oversimplified?
A recent article in Science Daily, covering research by University of Nevada, Las Vegas, suggests that this may be the case. Positive symptoms are often the first to be treated, and perhaps that is because they are most typically treated with medication. But this same medication may not easily treat negative symptoms. However new treatment protocol may increase emphasis on behavioral interventions and therapies as well as traditional treatments with antipsychotics and other psychiatric medications.
Gregory P. Strauss, Alicia Nuñez, Anthony O. Ahmed, Kimberly A. Barchard, Eric Granholm, Brian Kirkpatrick, James M. Gold, Daniel N. Allen. The Latent Structure of Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia. JAMA Psychiatry, 2018; DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.2475
University of Nevada, Las Vegas. (2018, November 27). Keep it complex: Study shows that previous research oversimplified Schizophrenia symptoms. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 26, 2018 from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181127171402.htm
