The DSM-5 criteria for diagnosing schizophrenia involve the presence of specific symptoms, functional impairment, and the duration of these symptoms. Here’s an outline of the DSM-5 criteria for schizophrenia:

A. Characteristic Symptoms

Two (or more) of the following symptoms must be present for a significant portion of time during a one-month period (or less if successfully treated). At least one of the symptoms must be (1), (2), or (3):

1. Delusions: False beliefs that are not based in reality (e.g., believing one has special powers, or that people are conspiring against them).
2. Hallucinations: Sensory experiences in the absence of external stimuli (e.g., hearing voices, seeing things that aren’t there).
3. Disorganized speech (e.g., frequent derailment or incoherence): Speech that is difficult to understand or follow due to disorganized thought patterns.
4. Grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior: Marked reduction or increase in movement, or behavior that is highly disorganized and inappropriate.
5. Negative symptoms: Affective flattening (reduced emotional expression), alogia (reduced speech), or avolition (lack of motivation).

B. Social/Occupational Dysfunction

For a significant portion of time since the onset of the disturbance, one or more major areas of functioning (e.g., work, interpersonal relations, self-care) are markedly below the level achieved prior to the onset of the disorder.

C. Duration

Continuous signs of the disturbance must persist for at least six months. This six-month period must include at least one month of active symptoms (or less if successfully treated) and may include periods of prodromal or residual symptoms (during which the individual may exhibit negative symptoms or attenuated forms of the active symptoms).

D. Schizoaffective Disorder and Mood Disorder Exclusion

Schizoaffective disorder and depressive or bipolar disorder with psychotic features have been ruled out because either:

• No major depressive or manic episodes have occurred concurrently with the active-phase symptoms.
• If mood episodes have occurred during active-phase symptoms, they have been present for only a minority of the total duration of the active and residual periods.

E. Substance/Medical Condition Exclusion

The disturbance is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, medication) or another medical condition.

F. Relationship to Autism Spectrum Disorder

If there is a history of autism spectrum disorder or a communication disorder of childhood onset, schizophrenia is only diagnosed if prominent delusions or hallucinations are present for at least one month (or less if successfully treated).

Specifiers (optional):

• First episode, currently in acute episode
• First episode, currently in partial/full remission
• Multiple episodes, currently in acute episode
• Multiple episodes, currently in partial/full remission
• Continuous
• Unspecified

DSM Cover image source:

By https://www.washington.edu/news/2014/03/28/documents-that-changed-the-world-mental-disorder-diagnostic-manual-1952/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61363721