15th February 2025

Schizoaffective disorder

As per the ICD-11, schizoaffective disorder is ‘an episodic disorder in which the diagnostic requirements of schizophrenia and a manic, mixed, or moderate or severe depressive episode are met within the same episode of illness, either simultaneously or within a few days of one another.’ Psychomotor disturbances, including catatonia, may be present. Symptoms must have been present for at least one month.

General management is the same as for schizophrenia. However, manic or depressive episodes are managed as in bipolar disorder. The condition tends to have a non-deteriorating course, with prognosis being better than for schizophrenia, although generally worse than for primary mood disorders.