Making sense of schizophrenic symptoms; delusional statements and behavior may be functional in purpose.
The present paper describes the use of a functional analysis in attempting to make sense of symptomatic delusional statements and behaviors that people diagnosed with schizophrenia present. The three categories that are used to classify symptoms are: (1) positive reinforcement function, (2) negative reinforcement function, and (3) mislabeling of private events. The paper presents a number of clinical cases whose symptoms are representative of each category. Each case is then functionally treated as a result of its "category" characteristics, thus basing treatment on the hypothesized function (or reason) for the symptom.
Psychology Department, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA 95211, USA. Kevins@Inreach.com
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Schock
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Clay
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Cipani
D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods; D001527:Behaviorism; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003702:Delusions / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000628:therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology