Disorganized thought is categorized as which type of schizophrenia symptom?

• A. Positive symptom
• B. Negative symptom
• C. Cognitive symptom
• D. Affective symptom

Answer: (A)

Disorganized thought is a disruption in normal mental function that adds an abnormal pattern to how a person thinks and communicates. In schizophrenia, this kind of disruption is classified as a positive symptom because it reflects an excess or distortion beyond typical functioning—like derailment, tangential or illogical speech, and incoherent connections in thinking. Positive symptoms include unusual experiences such as delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized thinking, which are additions to normal experience. By contrast, negative symptoms involve a reduction or absence of normal functions (such as reduced emotional expression or motivation), cognitive symptoms involve problems with memory and executive processes, and affective symptoms relate to mood disturbances. So disorganized thought fits best as a positive symptom.