schizophreniform
disorder

An acute psychotic disorder in which the psychotic symptoms are comparatively stable and fulfill the criteria for schizophrenia but have lasted for less than 1 month. Some degree of emotional variability or instability may be present, but not to the extent described in acute polymorphic psychotic disorder.

 

Diagnostic guidelines >

For a definite diagnosis:

(a) the onset of psychotic symptoms must be acute (2 weeks or less from a nonpsychotic to a clearly psychotic state);
(b) symptoms that fulfill the criteria for schizophrenia must have been present for the majority of the time since the establishment of an obviously psychotic clinical picture;
(c) the criteria for acute polymorphic psychotic disorder are not fulfilled.

If the schizophrenic symptoms last for more than 1 month, the diagnosis should be changed to schizophrenia.

Includes:
* acute (undifferentiated) schizophrenia
* brief schizophreniform disorder
* brief schizophreniform psychosis
* oneirophrenia
* schizophrenic reaction