Which statement best describes the DSM-5 criteria for schizophrenia?

• A. Only one symptom must be present for at least 1 month, with a disturbance lasting at least 6 months.
• B. Delusions or hallucinations must occur exclusively during mood episodes.
• C. Two or more symptoms (delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior, negative symptoms) present for a significant portion of time during a 1-month period, with at least 6 months of disturbance including prodromal or residual symptoms, not due to another disorder, and not better accounted for by a mood episode.
• D. Symptoms must last at least two years.

Answer: (D)

The main idea is how DSM-5 defines schizophrenia: you need two or more symptoms from a set that includes delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior, and negative symptoms, present for a significant portion of time during a one-month active phase, with at least one of those core symptoms being delusions, hallucinations, or disorganized speech. The total duration of disturbance must be at least six months, which includes periods of prodromal or residual symptoms. The symptoms must not be due to another medical condition or substance, and mood episodes should not account for the psychotic symptoms.

Why this matches best: it captures both the symptom count during a short active period and the longer six-month course including prodromal or residual phases, plus the requirement that psychosis isn’t better explained by a mood disorder. The other descriptions fall short because they either demand only one symptom, require psychosis only during mood episodes, or specify a much longer duration than the DSM-5 allows.