Which approach is included in DSM-5 to capture heterogeneity in schizophrenia after subtypes elimination?

Which approach is included in DSM-5 to capture heterogeneity in schizophrenia after subtypes elimination?

• A. Categorical subtypes
• B. Dimensional approach
• C. Specifiers for each subtype
• D. No rating system

Answer: (B)

Schizophrenia in DSM-5 is described using a dimensional approach to capture variation across symptoms rather than fixed subtypes. Subtypes were removed because they were unreliable and didn’t predict outcomes well. Instead, DSM-5 describes the disorder along symptom dimensions (positive symptoms like delusions and hallucinations, negative symptoms such as avolition and flat affect, cognitive symptoms, etc.) and uses specifiers to note additional features like catatonia or mood symptoms. This setup better reflects how patients vary along continua of severity and presentation, guiding more personalized assessment and treatment.

Schizophrenia in DSM-5 is described using a dimensional approach to capture variation across symptoms rather than fixed subtypes. Subtypes were removed because they were unreliable and didn’t predict outcomes well. Instead, DSM-5 describes the disorder along symptom dimensions (positive symptoms like delusions and hallucinations, negative symptoms such as avolition and flat affect, cognitive symptoms, etc.) and uses specifiers to note additional features like catatonia or mood symptoms. This setup better reflects how patients vary along continua of severity and presentation, guiding more personalized assessment and treatment.