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The British Journal of Psychiatry (1969) 115: 1243-1248. doi: 10.1192/bjp.115.528.1243
© 1969 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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Hysteria: An Evaluation of Specific Diagnostic Criteria by the Study of Randomly Selected Psychiatric Clinic Patients

ROBERT A. WOODRUFF Jr. M.D.1, PAULA J. CLAYTON M.D.2, and SAMUEL B. GUZE M.D.3

1 Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, U.S.A.
2 Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
3 Professor of Psychiatry

One hundred patients from the out-patient clinic of a university hospital were collected systematically and investigated by means of specific criteria for the diagnosis of hysteria. Conversion symptoms (unexplained neurological symptoms exclusive of pain) were found to be ubiquitous and particularly prevalent among patients with drug addiction, sociopathy, alcoholism and hysteria. Using specific criteria for the diagnosis of hysteria, little overlap was found between hysteria and other psychiatric illnesses. One female patient with schizophrenia was considered a false positive for the diagnosis of hysteria. Several similar patients have been seen in our clinic. We believe that in some early cases of schizophrenia the distinction. cannot be made between that illness and hysteria.

We have not found evidence to suggest that a grossly abbreviated form of our present criteria for hysteria would allow us to make the diagnosis with accuracy. On the other hand, this study provides preliminary evidence that the requirement that symptoms be medically unexplained may not be needed under certain circumstances.

Submitted on August 5, 1968




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S. B. Guze, R. A. Woodruff Jr., and P. J. Clayton
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