-334010385445 Essays - Psychiatry, Psychiatric Diagnosis

-334010385445 A Critique Submitted by Ashlie King Tiffin University PSY 501 Dr. Blaylock Fall 201711540067000 A Critique Submitted by Ashlie King Tiffin University PSY 501 Dr. Blaylock Fall 2017 centerbottom 1154000 center790007945755 1154000 Abstract Schizophrenia is a disorder th at affects the brain and how a person thinks or acts. It is a known fact that genetics and family history may play a role in physical illnesses, but can the same thing be said about mental illnesses? If a parent or grand-parent suffers from mental illness, such as depression or schizophrenia, how high are the chances that the child may suffer? I wonder if I would have the propensity to show any traits or signs of psychosis because of a distant relative's experience. More importantly, how will others view me? This paper is a critique of an article on schizophrenia. The article that I chose records a study conducted in China. The purpose of this study was to measure the stigma on the people in Guangzhou, China who suffer from schizophrenia. 384 people with schizophrenia were selected and evaluated. Statistics and the correlation between medication compliance and insight were used for this study. The research revealed that the people with schizophrenia were stigmatized. A Critique Submitted by Ashlie King Schizophrenia is surrounded by stigma. People who have schizophrenia face being feared and discriminated against. Another factor is the way schizophrenia is portrayed in the media and in societytelevision shows, books, and even the way people describe and refer to schizophrenics (calling them crazy or "schizo"). This paper will be a critique on an article about research on schizophrenia. Research , where random people were chosen, was conducted in Guangzhou, China, to investigate the stigma faced by people with schizophrenia . Section 1: The article, titled " Stigma and Discrimination Experienced by People with Schizophrenia Living in The C ommunity in Guangzhou, China ", described a study involving people from different areas in China who were suffering from schizophrenia. This study used what is called the Guangzhou Mental Health Model , which provided community health services and worked to end the stigma on mental illness (Li et al, 2017). It was conducted at the Guangzhou Huiai Hospital (or Guangzhou Brain Hospital) , a very old hospital that treated patients with mental illness. The focus of the study was to determine the stigmas and assumptions of schizophrenia, and determine any factors that may be associated with the stigma (Li et al, 2017). Another purpose of this study was to further investigate how Chinese society views schizophrenia. The aim of the research was to determine if schizophrenics in China were viewed as dangerous. Participants were selected rando mly , but the y had to meet certain criteria before they were considered for the study. For example, participants must be between the ages of 18-50, be stable, and have an education (Li et al, 2017) . They could not participate if they were hospitalized due to substance abuse , were pregnant, or there was a risk of violence or suicide (Li et al, 2017). The study ran from April to July and each participant gave written consent (Li et al, 2017). One reason that some patients were excluded was that their clinical diagnosis was not schizophrenia, even though it was listed as such. The patients' symptom levels and quality of life were measured in the study. Section 2: The researchers used various scales in their study. These scales had distinct functions . The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale measured symptoms associated with schizophrenia (Li et al, 2017). This scale measured depressive and psychotic symptoms, both which are possible symptoms of schizophrenia. The BPRS was used to investigate the level of depression and how high the possibility of a psychotic episode was. Another scale that was used was the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. This scale tested positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. For example, negative symptoms included emotional withdrawal and motor retardation and positive symptoms included hallucinations and unusual thoughts (Li et al, 2017). The Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale , which assessed the quality of life, was another scale used in the st udy. With this scale, the lower the score, the better the quality