This video describes difference between schizotypal personality disorder and schizophrenia. Schizotypal personality disorder is a Cluster A person a disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). It's in the same cluster as schizoid and paranoid personality disorders. This is considered the odd, eccentric cluster. Schizotypal personality disorder is a pattern of social deficits. Schizophrenia is thought of as more severe than schizotypal personality disorder. Schizotypal personality disorder is characterized by a number of potential symptoms including: ideas of reference, odd beliefs, or magical thinking, unusual perceptual experiences, odd thinking or speech, paranoid ideation, or being suspicious of other people, inappropriate or constricted affect behavior or appearance that could be described as odd, eccentric or peculiar, lack of close friends, and social anxiety. Schizophrenia is characterized by five potential symptoms including: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior, and negative symptoms. Schizophrenia has persistent psychotic episodes that tend to be more prolonged, frequent, and intense than the brief psychosis we sometimes see schizotypal personality disorder. The “ideas of reference” in schizotypal personality disorder are not held with delusional conviction, which means somebody can usually be swayed from these beliefs. Otherwise, it would be a delusional reference, which is what we usually see with schizophrenia. Often, an individual with schizophrenia believes the delusions and cannot be swayed from those beliefs. Another symptom criteria with schizotypal personality disorder is odd thinking or speech, but this speech would not typically rise to the level of incoherence. With schizophrenia, there could be incoherent speech.
Schizophrenia is sometimes conceptualized as having three phases: active phase (acute phase), prodromal phase, and residual phase. The active phase of Schizophrenia is characterized by hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, disorganized or catatonic behavior, and negative symptoms. Negative symptoms include avolition, which is a reduction in goal-directed behavior. The prodromal and residual phases are characterized by ideas of reference, unusual perceptions, vague speech, and negative symptoms. All the phases of Schizophrenia are associated with dysphoric mood, inappropriate affect, decreased interest in food and eating, sleep disturbance, and cognitive deficits. Hostility and aggression are sometimes associated with Schizophrenia, but the majority of individuals with Schizophrenia are not hostile or aggressive. Random assaults are not common. Schizophrenia is associated with an increased risk of suicidal behavior. Anosognosia often occurs with Schizophrenia. Anosognosia is a lack of insight or awareness about having a disorder and is a strong predictor of poor treatment outcomes. Schizophrenia is typically treated with medication and psychotherapy.
Schizotypal Personality Disorder is in Cluster A in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). This is the same cluster as Paranoid Personality Disorder and Schizoid Personality Disorder. Schizotypal Personality Disorder is characterized by ideas of reference, odd beliefs, unusual perceptions, odd thinking or speech (e.g. elaborate, metaphorical, vague), paranoid ideation, inappropriate and constricted affect, peculiar behavioral appearance, lacking close friends, and social anxiety. Schizotypal Personality Disorder affects males more often than females. The prevalence of Schizotypal Personality Disorder is about 4%. Schizotypal Personality Disorder is comorbid with Major Depressive Disorder, Paranoid Personality Disorder, Schizoid Personality Disorder, Avoidant Personality Disorder, and Borderline Personality Disorder.
