Brief Psychotic Disorder involves 1+ of which type of symptoms?

• A. Negative symptoms
• B. Mood symptoms
• C. Cognitive symptoms
• D. Positive symptoms

Answer: (D)

Brief Psychotic Disorder centers on the sudden appearance of positive psychotic experiences—things added to normal functioning rather than a loss of it. These positive symptoms include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and disorganized or catatonic behavior. They mark the condition as distinct from purely negative symptoms (such as reduced motivation or social withdrawal) or cognitive symptoms (like problems with attention or memory). Mood symptoms can occur, but when they are the main feature, the presentation points to a mood disorder with psychotic features rather than Brief Psychotic Disorder. The defining feature is the presence of one or more of these positive symptoms, typically lasting more than a day but less than a month, with full return to baseline afterward.