The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM-IV-TR, produced by the American Psychiatric Association, is used by most mental health professionals in North America and Europe to diagnose mental disorders. The DSM-IV-TR provides these major criteria for schizoaffective disorder:
- • At least two symptoms of psychosis from among the following, present for at least one month: Delusions; hallucinations; disorganized speech (strange, peculiar, difficult to comprehend); disorganized (bizarre or child-like) behavior; catatonic behavior; minimal speech (approaching mutism); lack of drive to act on one's own behalf; a wooden quality to one's emotions, or near-absent emotionality.
- • Delusions or hallucinations have occurred for at least two weeks in the absence of prominent mood symptoms.
- • During a "substantial portion" of the period of active illness, the individual meets criteria for one of the following mood disturbances: Major depressive episode, manic episode, mixed episode.
- • The symptoms are not caused by a biologically active entity such as drugs, alcohol, adverse reaction to a medication, physical injury, or medical illness.