Matt, the creative writer described in this chapter, reported in a clinical interview that sometimes swarms of ideas came into his head and that his girlfriend was listening to him from behind the walls and making them ring by hitting them. Based on information provided in the text, the BEST preliminary diagnosis is that Matt has:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Matt's reported symptoms of swarms of ideas and a belief that his girlfriend is making the walls ring suggest disordered thought, which is a symptom of schizophrenia. The belief in a girlfriend behind the walls is also indicative of psychosis, which is common in schizophrenia. The other options of anxiety disorder and dissociative identity disorder do not fit the reported symptoms as well. The option of "a kind of schizophrenia" that involves a split personality is not a recognized diagnosis within the DSM-5.

Matt, the Creative Writer Described in This Chapter, Reported in a Clinical