Charlie is a hospitalized patient diagnosed with schizophrenia who reports to his nurse that the radio is playing songs about his life. In fact, he is convinced that the artists are writing the songs to communicate a message to him. The symptom being reported is best diagnosed as:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Charlie's belief that the songs are specifically about him and are sending him a message is characteristic of an idea of reference, which is a type of delusion commonly associated with schizophrenia. Delusional jealousy involves the unfounded belief that one's partner is unfaithful, while paranoid persecution involves the feeling that others are out to harm or persecute the individual. A grandiose delusion involves an exaggerated sense of self-importance or specialness, which is not present in this scenario.

Charlie Is a Hospitalized Patient Diagnosed with Schizophrenia Who Reports