Schizoaffective disorder requires mood symptoms with psychotic symptoms, and at least how long must psychotic symptoms occur without mood symptoms?

• A. More than 2 weeks
• B. More than 2 months
• C. More than 1 week
• D. More than 6 months

Answer: (A)

Schizoaffective disorder blends features of schizophrenia with mood disturbance, but crucially there must be a period when psychotic symptoms occur without mood symptoms. That independent psychosis has to last at least two weeks, which is the minimum in the diagnostic criteria. This two-week window distinguishes schizoaffective disorder from a mood disorder with psychotic features, where psychosis appears only during mood episodes, and from schizophrenia with mood symptoms, where mood symptoms aren’t present for a substantial portion of the illness.

So, psychotic symptoms without mood symptoms must persist for a minimum of two weeks to meet the diagnosis. A shorter duration, like one week, wouldn’t meet the criterion; durations of months are not the specified minimum for this independent psychosis requirement.