Deals with the subject of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders. With more than 600 entries, this work features a foreword and an introduction, and references and appendixes. Its coverage includes the history, treatment, diagnosis, and medical research and theories regarding this class of mental illness.

Combines all the latest theories and research findings together with a complete overview of the field's history.

This mini-encyclopedia aims to provide a survey of the wide range of interventions available for treating schizophrenia at a level appropriate for non-specialists who are beginning their engagement in the area and for others as a source of reference for the specialist. The pharmacological options are considered alongside psychosocial management approaches and the advantages and disadvantages of each treatment modality are outlined. The entries are written by leading experts, including basic and clinical scientists in academia and industry, and include descriptions of many relevant fundamental psychological and biological processes of the disorder. The volume owes much to the Encyclopedia of Psychopharmacology edited by Ian Stolerman IP (published by Springer-Verlag in 2010), from which some entries are reproduced. Where entries deal with pharmacological interventions, the aim is to provide detailed information on the neuropsychopharmacology of the substances from domains such as clinical, experimental, and molecular pharmacology, insofar as they impact upon understanding of schizophrenia. Articles on non-drug interventions review the most recent evidence base related to commonly applied psychotherapeutic and rehabilitative measures. Other essays focus upon the key concepts and research methods used in the field, describing the main features of investigative techniques and outlining their roles, the types of information obtained and why they are needed; the advantages and limitations of a technique may also be summarized. The essays are complemented by many short definitions of important terms; in the interest of ease of reading, these definitions are not assigned to named authors; they are typically related to specific essays that they cross-reference and relevant authorship details can be found in the latter.

Provides an overview of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders; discusses symptoms, causes, treatment options, and behavior management; and provides advice for caregivers, family, and friends.

Abnormal and clinical psychology courses are offered in psychology programs at universities worldwide, but the most recent major encyclopedia on the topic was published many years ago. Although general psychology handbooks and encyclopedias include essays on abnormal and clinical psychology, such works do not provide students with an accessible reference for understanding the full scope of the field. The SAGE Encyclopedia of Abnormal and Clinical Psychology, a 7-volume, A-Z work (print and electronic formats), will be such an authoritative work. Its more than 1,400 entries will provide information on fundamental approaches and theories, various mental health disorders, assessment tools and psychotherapeutic interventions, and the social, legal, and cultural frameworks that have contributed to debates in abnormal and clinical psychology. Key features include: 1,400 signed articles contained in 7 volumes and available in choice of print and/or electronic formats Although organized A-to-Z, front matter includes a Reader’s Guide grouping related entries thematically Back matter includes a Chronology, Resource Guide, Bibliography, and detailed Index Entries conclude with References/Further Readings and Cross-References to related entries The Index, Reader’s Guide themes, and Cross-References between and among entries all combine to provide robust search-and-browse features in the electronic version.

Psychotic disorders are common and important psychiatric conditions, and patients suffering from psychosis can be challenging to assess and manage. In this new monograph, experts in schizophrenia and related psychoses review the current state of science in this area, and provide a practical and readable overview of the how to diagnose and treat individuals presenting with these disorders. This pocket-sized text features call-out boxes, case descriptions, practical tips, and general guidelines that should be ideal for medical students, residents, young mental health professionals, and trainees in other fields.Beginning with a history of psychosis, the authors proceed to explore the phenomenology of symptoms and experiences and how these can be used in clinical assessment. Diagnostic criteria are reviewed, along with common conditions in the differential diagnosis. Subsequent chapters tackle epidemiology, course and prognosis, and the neurobiology of psychotic disorders. The book concludes with chapters on treatment, both somatic and psychosocial, including discussion of novel interventional approaches and service delivery.The authors of this text are a mix of clinician-educators and scientific investigators, all with experience teaching trainees; this pocket-sized book has been developed to help young professionals easily gain a basic understanding of the complexities and challenges of psychotic disorders. Self-assessment questions, resources, and references will assist, but what really sets this book apart is the accessibility and concision of the text, ideal for individuals learning about or reviewing psychosis.

Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling psychosis, which is an impairment of thinking in which the interpretation of reality is abnormal. Psychosis is a symptom of a disordered brain. Approximately One percent of the population worldwide develops schizophrenia during their lifetime. Although schizophrenia affects men and women with equal frequency, the disorder often appears earlier in men, usually in the late teens or early twenties, than in women, who are generally affected in the twenties to early thirties. People with schizophrenia often suffer symptoms such as hearing internal voices not heard by others, or believing that other people are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm them. The current evidence concerning the causes of schizophrenia are many. It is quite clear that multiple factors are involved. These include changes in the chemistry of the brain, changes in the structure of the brain, and genetic factors. Viral infections and head injuries may also play a role. New molecular tools and modern statistical analyses allow focusing in on particular genes that might make people more susceptible to schizophrenia by affecting, for example, brain development or neurotransmitter systems governing brain functioning. State-of-the-art imaging techniques are being used to study the living brain. They have recently revealed specific, subtle abnormalities in the structure and function of the brains of patients with schizophrenia. In other imaging studies, early biochemical changes that may precede the onset of disease symptoms have been noted, prompting examination of the neural circuits that are most likely to be involved in producing those symptoms. This book presents new and important research in the field.