National Counselor Exam (NCE)

In schizophrenia, active symptoms are characterized by what kind of changes in thinking processes?

1. Absence of normal thinking

2. Exaggeration of normal thinking

3. Regression of normal thinking

4. Stability in normal thinking

The correct answer is: Exaggeration of normal thinking

Active symptoms of schizophrenia include hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking, which significantly alter how individuals process and interpret information. When considering the thinking processes in schizophrenia, exaggeration of normal thinking captures how patients may experience heightened versions of thoughts or belief systems. For example, a person might develop delusions with grandiose themes, believing they have extraordinary powers or status that are far removed from reality. This exaggeration can also manifest through disorganized speech where the flow of thoughts becomes chaotic and disconnected, thus transforming normal cognitive patterns into something more extreme and less coherent. Such changes illustrate that the individual's cognitive processes are not merely diminished or absent but distorted and amplified, leading to a heightened state of thought that strays significantly from the norm. This helps to understand why stable thinking does not apply, as individuals with schizophrenia do not experience their thought processes in a consistent or normal manner. Similarly, notions of absence or regression of normal thinking do not adequately depict the nature of the changes that occur during episodes of active symptoms in schizophrenia, since they do not reflect the exaggerated beliefs and perceptions characteristic of the condition.