Explain brief vs schizophreniform psychosis to parents — CASC communication station

Station brief

Format. Communication station, approximately 7–10 minutes after reading time. You are the psychiatry registrar in the early psychosis team. The examiner plays a parent. [2]

Candidate instructions. Explain the working diagnosis of schizophreniform disorder (5 weeks of multi-domain psychosis), distinguish it from schizophrenia and from brief psychotic disorder, outline treatment and cannabis advice, discuss uncertainty and follow-up, and check understanding. Do not invent foreign legal section numbers. [1][2]

Candidate scenario

Your patient is 20, first episode lasting 5 weeks, improving on aripiprazole 10 mg oral daily after starting at 5 mg, with baseline metabolic bloods and ECG done. Weekend high-THC cannabis until admission. Parents ask: "The GP said schizophrenia — is that permanent? Why tablets if it might go away? Can he smoke weed again when he leaves hospital?" [1][3][5]

Marking domains

Mark: empathy and structure; accurate plain-language duration map (brief under 1 month vs schizophreniform 1–under 6 months vs schizophrenia when longer duration criteria met); FEP treatment rationale; honest diagnostic uncertainty without false reassurance or catastrophic labelling; cannabis counselling; safety net and early-warning signs; check understanding. Score clarity, accuracy, alliance, and safety — not forced jargon.[1][2][4][6]

Model communication map