Psychodiagnosis in Schizophrenia

Psychodiagnosis in Schizophrenia is a reprint of a classic volume in assessment psychology that first appeared in 1966. The book concerns the use of psychodiagnostic techniques in the differential diagnosis of schizophrenia. The author first presents a conceptual analysis of schizophrenic disturbance in terms of impaired ego functioning and extrapolates from schizophrenic ego impairments to psychodiagnostic indices that have been demonstrated to assess them. In particular, Weiner refers to the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, the Rorschach Inkblot Method, and the Draw-A-Person test. Clinical and research data delineating the nature of psychological deficits in schizophrenia are reviewed, and practical guidelines for the clinical assessment of these deficits are presented. The author next considers several differential diagnostic possibilities frequently considered in the evaluation of schizophrenic persons, with separate chapters devoted to the many forms of schizophrenia, such as: acute, chronic, paranoid, nonparanoid, incipient, remitting, borderline and pseudoneurotic. There are also chapters that focus on schizoaffective disorder and adolescent schizophrenia. The conceptual and empirical contributions to these distinctions are reviewed; accordingly, the differentiating characteristics of these subcategories are related to parameters of psychodiagnostic test performance. In additon, the process of differential psychodiagnosis in schizophrenia is illustrated by detailed case studies. In an extended new preface, the author comments on current perspectives and contemporary literature related to the individual chapters of the text.

"I remain deeply impressed with the continued relevance of this classic work. Weiner's Psychodiagnosis in Schizophrenia still provides graduate students and practicing clinicians the most systematic and comprehensive approach to the assessment of schizophrenia. Throughout, Weiner brilliantly reveals the art of being a psychodiagnostician. He formulates hypotheses based upon test data, history, behavioral observations, and a formidable knowledge of the literature on schizophrenia to arrive at diagnostic judgments....explores issues that are pertinent to the contemporary diagnostician and are likely to continue to be critical in assessing schizophrenia and other severe psychopathological states. I believe that this work will continue to serve as a guide for future generations of psychologists in the practice of psychodiagnosis and be viewed as one of the pivotal works responsible for the re-emergence of the Rorschach as a necessary diagnostic instrument."—Journal of Personality Assessment