Methods of Researching Thinking Disorders in Schizophrenia

This book presents three of the most well-known systems for quantitatively measuring thinking disorders abroad and one new assessment system developed by the author. All of them are created in accordance with the requirements for the reliability and validity of measurement scales, in which both definitions and procedures for the quantitative assessment of the severity of thinking disorders are standardized. The author’s assessment system even specifies quantitative criteria for differentiating thinking disorders in schizophrenia spectrum disorders and those in psychoorganic syndrome and in normality. Each system has its own strengths and limitations, which are described in detail. Despite all the imperfections of such measurement scales, it is impossible to increase the objectivity of assessments of thinking disorders without them, to ensure their reproducibility, comparability, and to observe the dynamics of indicators as the disease progresses or as different types of therapeutic interventions are applied.