A group of psychologists has collected a series of videotapes of young children, some of which grew up to be normal and others were diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia. They give the tapes to a group of professionals and ask them to identify the ones who develop schizophrenia. Which of the following signs would be helpful in making this distinction?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Responsiveness to others and amount of eye contact are important indicators of social and communicative development, which can be impaired in individuals with schizophrenia. Aggressive movements and tics (option A) and muscular twitches and poor posture (option B) are more indicative of motor disorders, which are not necessarily associated with schizophrenia. Total number of words used and physical size (option C) may not be reliable indicators, as children with normal development and those with schizophrenia may have different rates of language acquisition and physical growth.

A Group of Psychologists Has Collected a Series of Videotapes