Assignment: Early Onset Schizophrenia
Children and adolescents with schizophrenia have more difficulty functioning in academic or
work settings, and significant impairment usually persists into adulthood. They may have speech
or language disorders and in some cases borderline intellectual functioning. These individuals
are more likely to complete suicide attempts or die from other accidental causes. Schizophrenia
is characterized by positive and negative symptoms. Positive symptoms include hallucinations,
delusions, and behavior disturbance. Negative symptoms include blunted affect and attention,
apathy, and lack of motivation and social interest.
In this Assignment, you compare treatment plans for adults diagnosed with schizophrenia with
treatment plans for children and adolescents diagnosed with schizophrenia. You also consider the
legal and ethical issues involved in medicating children diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Compare evidence-based treatment plans for adults versus children and adolescents
diagnosed with schizophrenia
Analyze legal and ethical issues surrounding the forceful administration of medication to
children diagnosed with schizophrenia
Analyze the role of the PMHNP in addressing issues related to the forceful administration
of medication to children diagnosed with schizophrenia
To Prepare for this Assignment:
Review the Learning Resources concerning early-onset schizophrenia.
The Assignment (2 pages):
Compare at least two evidence-based treatment plans for
adults diagnosed with schizophrenia with evidence-based
treatment plans for children and adolescents diagnosed with
schizophrenia.
Explain the legal and ethical issues involved with forcing
children diagnosed with schizophrenia to take medication for
the disorder and how a PMHNP may address those issues.
