Which of the following is an example of negative symptoms of schizophrenia?

UP CHO - 10 September 2021

Mental Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: UP CHO - 10 September 2021

Explanation

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia are defined as an absence or deficit of normal behaviors and functions.
The phrase 'lack of thought, feeling, and behavior' is a direct and accurate summary of what constitutes negative symptoms.
These deficits correspond to specific clinical terms: Alogia (lack of thought/speech), Affective Flattening/Anhedonia (lack of feeling/pleasure), and Avolition (lack of behavioral drive).
In contrast, positive symptoms involve an excess or distortion of normal functions, such as hallucinations or delusions.

Option A: This describes persecutory delusions. Delusions are false, fixed beliefs that represent a distortion of thought content, which is a classic positive symptom.
Option B: This describes disorganized or catatonic behavior. These are abnormal motor activities, such as strange gestures or movements, which are considered positive symptoms.
Option D: This phrase defines positive symptoms. Positive symptoms are characterized by an 'excess' or addition of abnormal thoughts and behaviors (e.g., hallucinations, delusions).

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Recognizing negative symptoms is crucial for nurses as they are often more debilitating and less responsive to antipsychotic medication than positive symptoms, significantly impacting a patient's quality of life and social functioning.
Patients with prominent negative symptoms require psychosocial interventions, such as social skills training and cognitive behavioral therapy, to manage their condition effectively.
What if? - If a patient on antipsychotics shows improvement in hallucinations (a positive symptom) but their social withdrawal and lack of motivation (negative symptoms) worsen, the nurse should suspect medication side effects or the need for adjunctive psychosocial therapy, and report this to the treatment team.

How to Approach the Question

First, understand the core question: it asks for an example of negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
Recall the fundamental difference: 'positive' symptoms add something abnormal (e.g., delusions, hallucinations), while 'negative' symptoms take away or show a deficit in something normal (e.g., emotion, speech, motivation).
Evaluate each option against this framework. Option A (delusions) and Option B (strange movements) are things that are added to normal experience, so they are positive symptoms.
Option D explicitly says 'excess,' which is the definition of positive symptoms.
Option C describes a 'lack' of function, which directly matches the definition of negative symptoms, making it the correct choice.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Psychology Baron Misra 5e Part 2 p. 187-189

E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) pp. 1097-1099, 1091-1093