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Kurt SchneiderKurt Schneider

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Schneider: The Schneider: The Psychotic ExperiencePsychotic Experience

• Interested in pathognomonic Interested in pathognomonic symptomssymptoms

• ““First Rank Symptoms” (FRS)First Rank Symptoms” (FRS)E.g., voices commentingVoices arguingThought insertion

• Involve a loss of the sense of Involve a loss of the sense of autonomy of self, or “ego autonomy of self, or “ego boundaries”boundaries”

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Importance of Importance of Schneiderian IdeasSchneiderian Ideas

• Discrete phenomena—clearly Discrete phenomena—clearly pathological or “bizarre”pathological or “bizarre”

• Discontinuous from Discontinuous from normalitynormality

• Potentially for good reliabilityPotentially for good reliability• Ideal for objective criterion-Ideal for objective criterion-

based systemsbased systems

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Schneiderian Influences Schneiderian Influences on Diagnostic Systemson Diagnostic Systems

• Incorporated into Present State Incorporated into Present State Examination (PSE)Examination (PSE)

• Used in International Pilot Study of Used in International Pilot Study of Schizophrenia (IPSS)Schizophrenia (IPSS)

• Influenced the International Influenced the International Classification of Disease (ICD)Classification of Disease (ICD)

• Influenced the US Diagnostic and Influenced the US Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)Statistical Manual (DSM)

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Fundamental Questions Fundamental Questions about Schizophreniaabout Schizophrenia

• What are the characteristic symptoms?

• What are the boundaries of the concept?

• Is the disorder a single illness or multiple disorders?

• If multiple, what are the subtypes?

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Characteristic SymptomsCharacteristic Symptoms• Schneider: specific types of Schneider: specific types of

delusions and hallucinationsdelusions and hallucinations• Bleuler: fragmented thinking, Bleuler: fragmented thinking,

inability to relate to external inability to relate to external worldworld

• Kraepelin: emotional dullness, Kraepelin: emotional dullness, avolition, loss of inner unityavolition, loss of inner unity