What are mood-congruent psychotic features?

Mood-congruent psychotic features refer specifically to symptoms, such as delusions or hallucinations, that align with a person's prevailing mood state. In the context of depressive episodes, mood-congruent features typically involve negative themes, such as feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or a belief that one is responsible for some form of catastrophe. Therefore, when someone experiences delusions that are consistent with their depressive mood—like believing they are unlovable or are a failure—this is termed mood-congruent.

This distinction is crucial in diagnosing and understanding mood disorders, as it helps clinicians differentiate between psychotic features that match the individual's mood (mood-congruent) and those that do not (mood-incongruent). Delusions or hallucinations that are unrelated to the person's mood, such as grandiose beliefs during a depressive episode, would fall into the category of mood-incongruent features. As such, the focus on consistent depressive themes in the response accurately captures the essence of mood-congruent psychotic features.