Diminished emotional expression, avolition, alogia, anhedonia, and asociality are examples of which symptom category?

Diminished emotional expression, avolition, alogia, anhedonia, and asociality are examples of which symptom category?

• A. Positive Symptoms
• B. Cognitive Symptoms
• C. Affective Symptoms
• D. Negative Symptoms

Answer: (D)

These signs reflect a deficit in normal emotional and social functioning, which is the hallmark of negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Diminished emotional expression shows reduced facial expressivity or vocal affect; avolition indicates a lack of motivation to pursue goals; alogia is a reduced amount of speech; anhedonia is a reduced ability to experience pleasure; and asociality is diminished interest in social interactions. They contrast with positive symptoms, which add experiences like hallucinations or delusions, and with cognitive symptoms that impair thinking, attention, and memory. Recognizing them as negative symptoms helps explain why patients may appear withdrawn or “flat,” and why these symptoms can be more persistent and harder to treat, often requiring both pharmacologic management and psychosocial interventions.

These signs reflect a deficit in normal emotional and social functioning, which is the hallmark of negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Diminished emotional expression shows reduced facial expressivity or vocal affect; avolition indicates a lack of motivation to pursue goals; alogia is a reduced amount of speech; anhedonia is a reduced ability to experience pleasure; and asociality is diminished interest in social interactions. They contrast with positive symptoms, which add experiences like hallucinations or delusions, and with cognitive symptoms that impair thinking, attention, and memory. Recognizing them as negative symptoms helps explain why patients may appear withdrawn or “flat,” and why these symptoms can be more persistent and harder to treat, often requiring both pharmacologic management and psychosocial interventions.