Psychomotor symptoms in primary psychotic disorders

**Definition:** Psychomotor symptoms in primary psychotic disorders include psychomotor agitation or excessive motor activity, usually manifested by purposeless behaviours such as fidgeting, shifting, fiddling, inability to sit or stand still, wringing of the hands, psychomotor retardation, or a visible generalised slowing of movements and speech, and catatonic symptoms such as excitement, posturing, waxy flexibility, negativism, mutism, or stupor. The rating should be made based on the severity of psychomotor symptoms during the past week.

**Long definition:** This descriptor may used together with a diagnosis from the grouping of Schizophrenia and other primary psychotic disorders to indicate that psychomotor symptoms are a prominent part of the clinical presentation. Psychomotor symptoms include psychomotor agitation or excessive motor activity, usually manifested by purposeless behaviors such as fidgeting, shifting, fiddling, inability to sit or stand still, wringing of the hands, etc., psychomotor retardation, or a visible generalized slowing of movements and speech, and catatonic symptoms such as excitement, posturing, waxy flexibility, negativism, mutism, or stupor. If the full syndrome of Catatonia is present, this should be diagnosed separately.