APA Dictionary of Psychology

a disorder whose essential features are identical to those of schizophrenia except that the total duration is between 1 and 6 months (i.e., intermediate between brief psychotic disorder and schizophrenia) and social or occupational functioning need not be impaired, included in DSM-IV-TR, DSM-5, and DSM-5-TR. The diagnosis applies without qualification to an episode of between 1 and 6 months’ duration from which the individual has already recovered. The diagnosis is provisional when there is no certainty of recovery within the 6-month period. If the disturbance persists beyond 6 months, the diagnosis would be changed to schizophrenia.