psychotic disorder to indicate the presence of the comorbid catatonia.
Specify current severity:
Severity is rated by a quantitative assessment of the primary symptoms of psychosis,
including delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, abnormal psychomotor be-
havior, and negative symptoms. Each of these symptoms may be rated for its current
severity (most severe in the last 7 days) on a 5-point scale ranging from 0 (not present)
to 4 (present and severe). (See Clinician-Rated Dimensions of Psychosis Symptom
Severity in the chapter “Assessment Measures.”)
Note:  Diagnosis of brief psychotic disorder can be made without using this severity
specifier.
Diagnostic Features
The essential feature of brief psychotic disorder is a disturba nce that involves the sudden
onset of at least one of the following positive psychotic symptoms: delusions, hallucina-
tions, disorganized speech (e.g., frequent de railment or incoherence), or grossly abnormal
psychomotor behavior, includin g catatonia (Criterion A). Sudden onset  is defined as
change from a nonpsychotic state to a clearly psychotic state within 2 weeks, usually with-
out a prodrome. An episode of the disturbance lasts at least 1 day but less than 1 month,
and the individual eventually has a full return  to the premorbid level of functioning (Cri-