UWorld Step 3
Question Id: 6317
"Antipsychotic medication is effective in treating positive symptoms... but does not significantly improve negative symptoms.
Earlier hopes that second-generation antipsychotics would be more effective than first-generation antipsychotics in treating negative symptoms have not been realized. Perceived benefits of newer antipsychotics in treating negative symptoms are believed to result from fewer extrapyramidal side effects (ie, decreased incidence of drug-induced parkinsonism) rather than true efficacy in treating core negative symptoms.
Switching to a second-generation (atypical) antipsychotic... is unlikely to significantly improve this patient's negative symptoms and could result in recurrence of his positive psychotic symptoms, which are currently well controlled.
Psychosocial intervention, specifically social skills training, is an effective augmentation strategy to target negative symptoms."
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