A symptom checklist to help clients reflect on experiences of psychosis and consider whether further psychological assessment may be helpful.
Offers theory, guidance, and prompts for mental health professionals. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
Includes client-friendly guidance. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
Psychosis is a broad term used to describe experiences such as hallucinations, delusions, disorganised thinking, and changes in emotional expression. While these symptoms may occur in a range of mental health conditions — including schizophrenia and brief psychotic episodes — they can also appear in the general population. This symptom checklist draws on DSM-5 and ICD-11 criteria to help clients and clinicians consider whether a person's symptoms are consistent with experience of psychosis. It is not intended to provide a diagnosis or assess severity, but it can support early discussions about whether further evaluation is warranted.
Experiences associated with psychosis can be difficult to talk about and are often misunderstood. This resource:
For individuals experiencing hallucinations, delusions, or disorganized thinking.
Gently introduce the possibility of psychosis using the suggested therapeutic prompt.
Work through the checklist with the client, noting frequency and impact of symptoms.
Discuss which symptoms may indicate concern and how they affect daily functioning.
Use insights to guide further assessment, formulation, or referral to specialist services.
According to the DSM-5, psychotic disorders are characterized by symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganised speech, grossly disorganised or catatonic behavior, and negative symptoms (e.g. diminished emotional expression or motivation). For schizophrenia, symptoms must be present for at least one month, with functional decline lasting at least six months.
ICD-11 similarly identifies persistent delusions, hallucinations, disorganised thinking, and disturbances of control or passivity as core symptoms. These may be accompanied by negative symptoms or psychomotor disturbances such as catatonia.
This symptom checklist is informed by both DSM-5 and ICD-11 criteria. It is not intended to provide a formal diagnosis or assess severity but may support early recognition and therapeutic exploration. Clinicians can use it to validate a client’s experiences and facilitate conversations that may lead to further assessment.
