Which of the following best describes negative symptoms of Schizophrenia?

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia refer to a decrease or loss of normal functions or behaviors. These can manifest as social withdrawal, limited emotional expression, reduced motivation, and a lack of speech or engagement in activities.

The choice that identifies social withdrawal and lack of speech reflects this definition accurately, as both symptoms indicate a diminished ability to function socially and communicate, which are hallmark signs of negative symptoms. Unlike positive symptoms, which involve the presence of inappropriate behaviors (such as hallucinations and delusions), negative symptoms focus on what is absent in a person’s behavior and emotional expression.

For example, while hallucinations and delusions represent a distortion of reality—features of positive symptoms—social withdrawal and lack of speech highlight the absence of typical social interaction and communication, which aligns perfectly with the characteristics of negative symptoms in schizophrenia.