A 16 year old boy does not attend school because of the fear of being harmed by school mates. He thinks that his classmates laugh at and talk about him. He is even scared of going out to the market. He is most likely suffering from which of the following disorder?
High-Yield Explanation
The diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia includes delusion, disorganized speech, disorganized behavior, hallucinations and negative symptoms. Any 2 or more of the above should be present for 6 months or more. The child's features in the question is ouring the diagnosis of schizophrenia. Ref: CURRENT Diagnosis and Treatment: Psychiatry, 2nd Edition, Chapters 18-19