A. Two or more of the following, each present for a significant portion of time during a 1-month period (or less if successfully treated). At least one of these must be (1), (2), or (3): 

1. Delusions.

2. Hallucinations.

3. Disorganized speech.

4. Grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior.

5. Negative symptoms.

B. An episode of the disorder lasts at least 1 month but less than 6 months.

C. Schizoaffective disorder and depressive or bipolar disorder with psychotic features have been excluded because either 1) no major depressive or manic episodes have occurred or 2) mood episodes have been present for a small portion of the total duration of the active and residual periods of the illness during the active-phase symptoms.

D. The disturbance does not ascribe to physiological functions of drugs or another medical condition.


[DSM-5-TR] Diagnostic Criteria of Schizophreniform Disorder

Due to the nature of a Schizophreniform Disorder diagnosis being a possible precursor to Schizophrenia and the similarities shared between the two diagnoses, more information that applies to Schizophreniform Disorder can also be found under Schizophrenia. This relevant information is separated into:

- Associated Features
- Development and Course (age-related factors)
- Culture-Related Diagnostic Issues
- Sex- and Gender-Related Diagnostic Issues
- Differential Diagnoses
- Comorbid Diagnoses


[DSM-5-TR] Schizophreniform Disorder - Additional Information

There are currently no psychometric tests and diagnostic research results for schizophreniform disorder.

Associated Features of Schizophreniform Disorder

Incidence of schizophreniform disorder is low in high-income countries and high in low-income countries. In some particular sociocultural settings, schizophreniform disorder may be as common as schizophrenia.

Prevalence of Schizophreniform Disorder

Due to the similar development of schizophreniform disorder and schizophrenia, those who receive a diagnosis of schizophreniform disorder (provisional) are likely to end up with a more specific follow-up diagnosis. Only about a third of patients will be diagnosed with schizophreniform disorder as the final diagnosis after recovery, whereas the remaining two-thirds will be diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

Development and Course of Schizophreniform Disorder

Risk and prognostic factors that affect the diagnosis of schizophreniform disorder include:

- Genetic and Physiological Factors

Risk and Prognostic Factors of Schizophreniform Disorder

Majority of individuals with schizophreniform disorder will experience dysfunction in several areas of daily functioning (e.g. interpersonal relationships).

Functional Consequences of Schizophreniform Disorder

Differential diagnoses to schizophreniform disorder include:

- Other Mental Disorders and Medical Conditions
- Brief Psychotic Disorder


Differential Diagnoses to Schizophreniform Disorder

This includes the intersection of connections and/or research related to (a) disorders as a general category in other fields of study and research. Such fields include:

- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Clinical Psychology
- Health Psychology


Interdisciplinary Connections & Research Related to Schizophreniform Disorder

Schizophreniform disorder is a psychotic disorder that affects action, thought, relationship with others, emotional expression, and reality perceived within one to six months lasting duration.

Syracuse University

The DSM-5-TR separates Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders into the following specific disorders and groups:

- Schizotypal (Personality Disorder)
- Delusional Disorder
- Brief Psychotic Disorder
- Schizophreniform Disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Schizoaffective Disorder
- Substance/Medication-Induced Psychotic Disorder
- Psychotic Disorder Due to Another Medical Condition
- Catatonia*
- Other Specified Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorder
- Unspecified Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorder


[DSM-5-TR] List of Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., Text revision). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

DSM-5-TR

A personality disorder characterized by: 
- Various oddities of thought, perception, speech, and behavior that are not severe enough to warrant a diagnosis of schizophrenia

Symptoms may include:
- Perceptual distortions
- Magical thinking
- Social isolation 
- Vague speech without incoherence
- Inadequate rapport with others due to aloofness or lack of feeling
- Symptoms not because of schizophrenia, other psychotic disorder, or ASD

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

Previously referred to as paranoid disorder, delusional disorder is characterized by an inability to recognize reality from false beliefs called delusions. It occurs more often in middle age or later in life. This disorder is diagnosed when someone holds one or more non-bizarre delusions as truth for a month or more. These delusions cannot be sourced from culture or other causes. Symptoms include irritability and hallucinations.  

Delusional Disorder

A sudden and temporary display of psychotic behavior, and can be triggered by extreme stress and trauma. This episode lasts less than a month, and is followed by complete remission, though future relapses are possible. 

Brief psychotic disorder

Schizophreniform Disorder

Schizophrenia is a severe psychological disorder that leads to a profound breakdown in an individual's ability to function, often necessitating hospitalization. It is characterized by significant disruptions in thought, perception, emotion, and behavior, including symptoms like hallucinations, delusions, incoherent thinking, bizarre actions, flat emotions, and a lack of motivation for basic activities. It is important to distinguish schizophrenia from dissociative identity disorder ('split personality'), as the term 'schizophrenia' refers to a 'splitting of psychic functions,' not a divided personality.

Schizophrenia

An uninterrupted illness featuring at some time a major depressive episode, manic episode, or mixed episode concurrently with characteristic symptoms of schizophrenia (e.g., delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, catatonic behavior) and, in the same period, delusions or hallucinations for at least 2 weeks in the absence of prominent mood symptoms. DSM–5 identifies the mood episodes only as either major depressive or manic and emphasizes that mood disturbances must be present for a majority of the time.

Schizoaffective Disorder

Substance/medication-induced psychotic disorder occurs when a specific substance (e.g., cocaine, dexamethasone) causes the delusions and/or hallucinations, or other schizophrenic-like symptoms. It is not to be confused with Substance/Medication-Induced Sleep Disorder.

Substance/Medication-Induced Psychotic Disorder

This condition is when hallucinations and delusions occur are physiologically caused by a separate medical condition. Psychosis appears outside states of delirium as well. The disorder significantly interferes with major areas of life.

Learn Before

Related

Learn After