title: Predictive validity of neurotic disorders: a 50-year follow-up study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 1965, Erling Jacobsen (1919-1988) defended his doctoral thesis on neurosis in which he tested the psychoanalytic theory of eridophobia as an internalising hostility factor with a specific causality for anxiety neurosis. He found no marked difference between anxiety neurosis and obsessive-compulsive neurosis, which, however, both differed from hysterical neurosis. The aim of this follow-up study was to evaluate to which extent anxiety neurosis and obsessive-compulsive neurosis when compared with hysterical neurosis co-existed with depression, both at the level of diagnostic behaviour, including committed suicide, and with regard to symptom profile.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 112 patients were followed on the Danish Central Psychiatric Research Register and the Danish Cause of Death Register with regard to their diagnostic behaviour. In a subset of the sample (n = 24), the patients were assessed using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (SCL)-90.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both at the diagnostic level, including suicide rate, and at the level of symptom severity (SCL-90), anxiety neurosis and obsessive-compulsive neurosis were similar, in contrast to hysterical neurosis which had no more association with the other two categories of neurosis than would be expected by chance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anxiety neurosis and obsessive-compulsive neurosis are more severe disorders than hysterical neurosis, both in terms of symptom profile and depression, including suicidal behaviour. The identified suicides were committed within the first two decades after discharge from the index hospitalisation.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Poul M. Færgemann's Grant and the Neurosis Grant of 22 July 1959.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  not relevant.
authors.affiliation: Voksenpsykiatrisk Afsnit, Psykiatrisk Center Nordsjælland, Hillerød, Dyrehavevej 48, 3400 Hillerød, Denmark. per.bech@regionh.dk.
authors.forename: Peter Winning
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Jepsen
authors.forename: Birgitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.forename: Stig
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: Knud
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Juel
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bech
mesh_terms: D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007046:Hysteria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012042:Registries; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis; D013405:Suicide