Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Signal Attenuation as a Rat Model of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Published on: January 9, 2015
Breaking bad news: schizophrenia
1Departmentof Psychiatry, University of Toronto, One King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. mary.seeman@utoronto.ca
Abstract:
The aim of this paper is to help physicians deliver the diagnosis of schizophrenia by adopting and adapting the popular oncology protocol, SPIKES. Data sources for the paper are PubMed searches (1984-2009), entering the phrase "breaking bad news." Of the 269 articles retrieved, those with face relevance to schizophrenia were selected and references contained in them were further searched. The conclusion of the paper is that, as in oncology, revealing a serious psychiatric diagnosis is emotionally difficult for both physician and patient; guidelines help, but individualization is essential.
Related Concept Videos
Schizophrenia
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...
Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions
Thought Disorders
Disorganized and unusual thought processes mark thought disorders in schizophrenia. One key feature is disorganized speech, where an individual's conversation includes loosely...
Positive Symptoms Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions
Hallucinations
Hallucinations in...
Biological Causes of Schizophrenia
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin studies.