Which statement accurately describes schizoaffective disorder?

• A. It is diagnosed when psychosis occurs without any mood symptoms.
• B. It is diagnosed when mood symptoms are prominent but never coincide with psychotic symptoms.
• C. It requires prominent mood symptoms concurrent with psychotic symptoms plus periods of psychosis without mood symptoms.
• D. It has mood symptoms only with no psychosis.

Answer: (C)

Schizoaffective disorder combines psychotic features with a mood disorder, in a pattern where mood symptoms are present along with psychotic symptoms, and there are periods of psychosis without mood symptoms. This mixture—psychosis that overlaps with a major mood episode, plus separate times when psychosis occurs without mood symptoms—distinguishes it from schizophrenia (no major mood episodes) and from mood disorders with psychotic features (psychosis only occurs during mood episodes). So the statement that best fits describes prominent mood symptoms concurrent with psychotic symptoms plus periods of psychosis without mood symptoms.