Assessments for Schizophrenia

Assessments – to see what help you need

Everyone with schizophrenia is different, and has different needs.

So when you have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, healthcare professionals will need to work with you (and ideally your family as well) to work out how best to help you. 1

You might talk to a number of different people who each offer something different that might be useful. So one might be able to help with talking through your feelings, for example, while someone else works out what medications you might need.1

Services you might be offered could include:2

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)	This can help you take a step back from your thoughts and try out new ways of thinking and behaving2
Talking therapy	This is when you speak one-on-one with a trained counsellor, and talk through your feelings2
Occupational therapy	This looks at the skills you have and skills you need to work on so you can be more independent2,3
Family meetings	This is when you sit down with a trained counsellor and one or more members of your family to try to understand each other a bit better, and work out any issues at home2
Medication	There are several medications available for schizophrenia. You might have to try a few before you and your doctor find one that works best for you2
Vocational rehabilitation	This is when you work with a trained recovery worker to stay in or get back into education or work4

Assessment tools

How severe are the schizophrenia symptoms?

There are a few different tests that doctors can use to help them assess your needs.5These need you to answer a number of questions, and your answers are scored. This score tells your doctor (and you) how severe your symptoms are right now.

Is the treatment working?

These tests can also be used to see if the medication and/or other help you’re getting is working. 5

If your score on the test stays the same or gets worse, the doctor knows that that therapy isn’t doing its job. They can then think about other things to try. If your scores improve, it means that you’re heading in the right direction.

By working with a team behind you, you can start achieving your goals

REFERENCES:

NHS. Mental health assessments. Available at:
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/nhs-voluntary-charity-services/nhs-services/mental-health-assessments/ Last accessed: June 2022.
Royal College of Psychiatrists. Schizophrenia leaflet. Available at:
https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/problems-disorders/schizophrenia Last accessed: April 2022.
NHS. Occupational therapy. Available at:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/occupational-therapy/ Last accessed: April 2022.
Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust. Vocational services. Available at:
https://www.dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/our-services-hospitals/mental-health/vocational-services Last accessed: April 2022.
Kumari S, et al. An assessment of five commonly used symptoms rating scales in schizophrenia and comparison to newer scales. J Addict Res Ther. 2017; 8(3): 324.