Psychosis in Children and Adolescents

Psychosis is characterized by overt disruptions in thought, perceptions, and behavior. Complex syndromes presenting with psychosis, including schizophrenia spectrum disorders, mood disorders, and medical illnesses, are differentiated by characteristic patterns of symptom presentation and course of illness. Accurate diagnosis is important to guide treatment and to avoid inaccurate labeling, because most youth reporting psychotic-like experiences do not have a true psychotic disorder.