Running head: SCHIZOPHRENIA 1
SOWK 6090 Week 7 Assignment
Racquel Walsh
Walden University
Individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia tend to undergo a number of assessment
measures in order to have their symptoms evaluated. One of the assessment tools that can
used when assessing and evaluating schizophrenia is the Clinician Rated Dimensions of
Psychosis Symptom Severity (CRDPSS). “CRDPSS can be used to rate the eight dimensions which
are Hallucinations, Delusions, Disorganized speech, Abnormal psychomotor behavior, Negative
Symptoms, Impaired Cognition, Depression, and Mania that can be present in psychotic
disorders” (Liemburg, Nienhuis & Veling 2020). The items on the assessment are scored based
off of the presence as well as the severity. It can be noted that both positive and negative
symptoms can be evaluated using this tool. This approach supports a dimensional analysis of
the clinical presentations of schizophrenia. Applying to the case of Sak and McGough, this tool
can significantly help as one of the confirmatory diagnostic tools to check for schizophrenia. The
complexity and heterogeneity of symptoms of schizophrenia can be better assessed using the
different domains in this tool. Another assessment instrument that can be used to assess for
the diagnosis of schizophernia is the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule
(WHODAS). This tool provides a generic assessment measure for health and disability that can
be applied not only in mental disorders but in a wide array of diseases (World Health
Organization, n.d.). Similar to the CRDPSS, the WHODAS also check several domains however
they are more focused on daily functioning such as cognition, mobility, self-care, interacting
with people, ability to fulfill work and school responsibilities, and participation in community
activities. These domains are particularly helpful in the diagnosis of schizophrenia because it
