Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a complex, serious psychiatric illness that is characterized by disruptions in cognitive, affective, and social functioning. The term schizophrenia comes from the Greek words meaning “split mind” and many people mistakenly believe that this disorder refers to individuals who have multiple personalities. In fact, the term was intended to refer to the disconnection among thinking, feeling, and behavior (Bleuler, 1911/1950). In the general population, about 1% of the population develops schizophrenia. Onset of symptoms typically occurs in late adolescence or early adulthood. Very early onset before age 13 is extremely rare, with incidence rates increasing throughout adolescence. Because it is uncommon, few epidemiological studies have been conducted for children and adolescents. However, Remschmidt, Schulz, Martin, Warnke, and Trott (1994) have estimated that 1 child in 10,000 is likely to develop schizophrenia.