Which characteristic is false regarding delusional disorder?

Delusional disorder is characterized by the presence of one or more delusions that persist for at least one month. One of its distinctive features is that, apart from the delusions, the individual's functioning tends to remain relatively intact. This means that most people with delusional disorder do not experience substantial impairment in their daily activities, such as work or personal relationships, which stands in contrast to other psychotic disorders where functioning is often significantly disrupted.

The distinction of having nonbizarre delusions is a hallmark of delusional disorder; these are beliefs that could occur in real life, such as being followed or deceived, unlike bizarre delusions which are implausible. Furthermore, while individuals with this disorder may have delusions, their behaviors typically do not appear markedly odd or bizarre; they may seem quite normal aside from their delusional beliefs.

Lastly, while tactile hallucinations can be a symptom associated with certain psychiatric conditions, they are not typically a feature of delusional disorder itself. Instead, the core element of delusional disorder is the presence of delusions without the high level of impairment seen in other psychotic disorders, ensuring clarity in the diagnostic criteria. Thus, the idea that daily functioning is markedly impaired prominently stands out