Schizoaffective Disorder DSM IV Diagnostic Criteria

DSM-IV-TR criteria
The following are the criteria for a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV):

A. Two (or more) of the following symptoms are present for the majority of a one-month period:

delusions
hallucinations
disorganized speech (e.g., frequent derailment or incoherence)
grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior
negative symptoms (i.e., affective flattening, alogia, or avolition)
Note: Only one of these symptoms is required if delusions are bizarre or hallucinations consist of a voice keeping up a running commentary on the person's behavior or thoughts, or two or more voices conversing with each other.

AND at some time there is either a

major depressive episode
manic episode
mixed episode
B. During the same period of illness, there have been delusions or hallucinations for at least two weeks in the absence of prominent mood symptoms.

C. Symptoms that meet criteria for a mood episode are present for a substantial portion of the total duration of the active and residual periods of the illness.

D. The disturbance is not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition.


Subtypes
Two subtypes of Schizoaffective Disorder may be noted based on the mood component of the disorder:


Bipolar type
if the disturbance includes

manic episode
mixed episode
manic and major depressive episodes
mixed and major depressive episode
This subtype applies if a manic episode or mixed episode is part of the presentation. Major Depressive Episodes may also occur.


Depressive type
if the disturbance includes major depressive episodes exclusively.

This subtype applies if only Major Depressive Episodes are part of the presentation