NAME: Nefta Baptiste

ID: 813001459

Differentiate between Schizophreniform and Schizoaffective disorder

SCHIZOAFFECTIVE DISORDER
This is a diagnosis that is used to describe people who have features
of schizophrenia and severe mood disorder. In other words the person not
only has psychotic symptoms that meet the criteria for schizophrenia but
also has marked changes in mood for a substantial amount of time. The main
types of associated mood disorder include bipolar (characterized by manic
episodes or an alternation of manic and depressive episodes) and unipolar
(characterized by depressive episodes). ( Butcher, Mineka and Hooley)
Symptoms:

Psychotic symptoms - losing touch with reality, hallucinations,

delusions, disorganized thoughts, chaotic speech and behaviour,
anxiety, apathy, blank facial expression, inability to move.
Manic symptoms - increased social, sexual and work activity, rapid
thoughts and speech, exaggerated self-esteem, reduced need for
sleep, risky behaviours, impulsive behaviours such as spending sprees,
quick changes between mood states such as happiness to anger.
Depressive symptoms - loss of motivation and interest, fatigue,
concentration difficulties, physical complaints such as headache or
stomach ache, low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, loss of appetite,
insomnia.
- The disturbance is not attributable to the effect of substance or
another medical condition

SCHIZOPHRENIFORM
This disorder is a category reserved for schizophrenia like
psychoses that last at least a month but do not last for 6 months and so do

not warrant a diagnosis of schizophrenia. ( Butcher, Mineka and Hooley

2007)
Symptoms:

Delusions
Hallucinations
Disorganized speech (communication is incoherent or seems like a
word salad; frequent derailment of ideas)
Disorganized or catatonic behavior
Diminished range of emotional expression (the person appears
emotionally withdrawn)

The two disorders are different mainly because during schizophreniform

disorder no major depressive or manic episodes have occurred concurrently
with the active-phase symptoms or if mood episodes have occurred during
active-phase symptoms, they have been present for a minority of the total
duration of the active residual periods.

Describe the clinical features and subtypes of Delusional Disorders

Delusional disorder is characterized by one or more false beliefs that persist

for at least 1 month.
-This disorder may develop in people with a paranoid personality disorder.
-Doctors base the diagnosis mainly on the person's history after they rule out
other possible causes.
-People usually remain functional and employed.
Delusional disorder usually first affects people in middle or late adult life.
Delusions may involve situations that could conceivably occur in real life,
such as being followed, poisoned, infected, loved at a distance, or deceived
by a spouse or lover. Or they may involve situations that are very unlikely to
occur, such as having internal organs removed without leaving a scar. The
difference between a delusion and a false belief is that people continue to
believe in a delusion no matter how much clear evidence contradicts it.

Symptoms
A delusional disorder may develop from a preexisting paranoid personality
disorder. Beginning in early adulthood, people with a paranoid personality
disorder have a pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others and their
motives. Early symptoms of delusional disorder may include
-Feeling exploited
-Being preoccupied with the loyalty or trustworthiness of friends
-Reading threatening meanings into benign remarks or events
-Bearing grudges for a long time
-Responding readily to perceived slights
Several subtypes of delusional disorder are recognized:

Erotomanic: People believe that another person is in love with them.

Efforts to contact the object of the delusion through telephone calls,
letters, or even surveillance and stalking are common. Behavior related
to the delusion may cause conflict with the law.
Grandiose: People are convinced that they have some great talent or
have made some important discovery.
Jealous: People are convinced that a spouse or lover is unfaithful. This
belief is based on incorrect inferences supported by dubious evidence.
Under such circumstances, physical assault may be a significant
danger.
Persecutory: People believe that they are being plotted against, spied
on, maligned, or harassed. People may repeatedly attempt to obtain
justice by appealing to courts and other government agencies. Rarely,
violence may be resorted to in retaliation for imagined persecution.
Somatic: People are preoccupied with a bodily function or attribute,
such as an imagined physical deformity or odor. The delusion can also
take the form of an imagined medical disorder, such as a parasitic
infection.
Mixed: People with this type of delusional disorder have two or more of
the types of delusions listed above.
(Psychologytoday.com)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Better Health Channel, 'Schizoaffective Disorder - Better Health

Channel'. N.p., 2015. Web. 2 Apr. 2015.
Butcher, James Neal, Susan Mineka, and Jill M Hooley. Abnormal
Psychology. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon, 2007. Print.
Davison, Gerald C, and John M Neale. Abnormal Psychology. New York:
John Wiley, 2001. Print.
Merckmanuals.com, 'Delusional Disorder: Schizophrenia And
Delusional Disorder: Merck Manual Home Edition'. N.p., 2015. Web. 31
March. 2015.
Psych Central.com, 'Schizoaffective Disorder Symptoms'. N.p., 2015.
Web.31 March. 2015.
Psych Central.com, 'Schizophreniform Disorder Symptoms'. N.p., 2015.
Web. 31 March. 2015.
Psychologytoday.com, 'Delusional Disorder | Psychology Today'. N.p.,
2015. Web. 31 March. 2015.
Webmd.com, 'Mental Health: Delusional Disorder'. N.p., 2015. Web. 31
March. 2015.