Noun: hebephrenia ,hee-bu'free-nee-u
- A form of schizophrenia characterized by severe disintegration of personality including erratic speech and childish mannerisms and bizarre behaviour; usually becomes evident during puberty; the most common diagnostic category in mental institutions
"The teenager's hebephrenia made it difficult for him to function in school";
- hebephrenic schizophrenia, disorganized schizophrenia, disorganized type schizophrenia, disorganised schizophrenia [Brit], disorganised type schizophrenia [Brit]
Derived forms: hebephrenias
Type of: dementia praecox [archaic], schizophrenia, schizophrenic disorder, schizophrenic psychosis
Encyclopedia: Hebephrenia