Schizophreniform disorder, a potentially useful construct, is difficult
to operationalize either for clinical or research purposes. According to
DSM-III-R, schizophreniform disorder is descriptively identical to
schizophrenia, differing only in duration of symptoms. This study suggests
several features that, at initial examination, differentiate
schizophreniform disorder from schizophrenia, such as higher DSM-III axis V
ratings, lack of flattened affect, and better rapport with the examiner.
The data suggest that when defined according to appropriate clinical
criteria, schizophreniform disorder can be distinguished from either
schizophrenia or affective disorder.Abstract Teaser