'Hysteria', 'functional' or 'psychogenic'? A survey of British neurologists' preferences.
The diagnostic preferences of British neurologists for patients who lack a physical explanation for their symptoms were assessed by means of a postal questionnaire. Analysis of 168 completed replies showed 'functional', 'psychogenic' and 'hysteria' to be the most popular terms in use. The number of different terms a clinician would use rose in line with the volume of such patients they encountered, but was unrelated to clinician factors such as the extent of their clinical experience in psychiatry. A specific enquiry into these respondents' interpretation of the term 'functional' revealed a clear consensus as to which syndromes it should apply to, although this consensus was not shared by a comparison group of psychiatrists.
Mace
C J
CJ
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Institute of Neurology, London.
Trimble
M R
MR
D003291:Conversion Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007046:Hysteria / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D009626:Terminology as Topic