Howard had a psychotic episode following the death of his wife.He had hallucinations in which he would hear her speaking to him,telling him to kill himself.Howard developed elaborate delusions about his ability to communicate with his wife's spirit.Howard recovered from this episode after one week.What DSM-IV-TR diagnosis would fit Howard's case?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Howard's symptoms fit the criteria for brief psychotic disorder, which is characterized by the sudden onset of psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, that last for less than one month and are often triggered by a stressful event. This diagnosis is more appropriate than schizophrenia because Howard's symptoms were time-limited and did not fully meet the criteria for a diagnosis of schizophrenia.

Howard Had a Psychotic Episode Following the Death of His