Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients presenting with conversion disorder in a tertiary care hospital in north India

Authors

  • Haamid Ismail Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
  • Sabreena Qadri Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
  • Arshad Hussain Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
  • Nadia Ismail Directorate Health Services Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20210437

Keywords:

Females, Pseudoseizures, Psychosocial stressors

Abstract

 

Background: Conversion (functional neurological symptom) disorder refers to patients who have neurological symptoms in the absence of neurological disease, encompassing one or more symptoms of altered voluntary motor or sensory function. Aim of the study was to study the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with conversion disorder.

Methods: The study population comprised all the patients (both inpatients and outpatients) of conversion disorder attending department of psychiatry, government medical college Srinagar over a period of 6 months who fulfilled the inclusion criteria of the study were evaluated on a semi-structured proforma for demographic variables and clinical characteristics.

Results: A total of 76 patients of conversion disorder were included in our study. Conversion disorder is more common in age group of 20-29 years (52.6%), females (93.4%) and among students (71.1%) belonging to rural background. Motor symptoms were the predominant presentation with pseudo seizure (69.7%) being the commonest. A majority of the patients had an obvious psychosocial stressor, of which family-related (36.8%) and relationship- related (15.8%) problems accounted for the major types.

Conclusions: Conversion disorders are commonly seen in young adult females, students and in those from rural background. They are mostly preceded by psychosocial stressors.

References

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th edition. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association. 2013.

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th ed, text revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association. 2000.

Vyas JN, Bharadwaj PK. A study of hysteria-AN analysis of 304 patients. Indian J Psychiatry. 1977;19:71–4.

Bagadia VN, Shastri PC, Shah JP. Hysteria: A study of demographic factors. Indian J Psychiatry. 1973;5:179.

Deka K, Chaudhury PK, Bora K, Kalita P. A study of clinical correlates and socio-demographic profile in conversion disorder. Indian J Psychiatry. 2007;49:205-7.

Ray SD, Mathur SB. Patterns of hysteria observed at psychiatric clinic Irwin Hospital, New Delhi. Indian J Psychiatry. 1986;8:32-6.

Subramanian D, Subramanian K, Devaky MN, Verghese A. A clinical study of 276 patients diagnosed as suffering from hysteria. Indian J Psychiatry. 1980;22:63-8.

Ponnudurai R, Somasundaram O, Balakrishnan S, Srinivasan R. Hysteria-a psycho demographic study. Indian J Psychiatry. 1981;23:49-51.

Uma H, Kapur M. A retrospective study of hysteria in a child guidance clinic. Indian J Psychiatry. 1987;29:283-6.

Greshuny BS, Najavits LM, Wood PK, Heppner M. Relation between trauma and psychopathology: Mediating roles of dissociation and fears about death and control. J Trauma Dissociation. 2004;5:101-17.

Ozcetin A, Belli H, Ertem U, Bahcebasi T, Ataoglu A, Canan F. Childhood trauma and dissociation in women with pseudoseizure-type conversion disorder. Nord J Psychiatry. 2009;63:462-8.

Downloads

Published

2021-01-29

How to Cite

Ismail, H., Qadri, S., Hussain, A., & Ismail, N. (2021). Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients presenting with conversion disorder in a tertiary care hospital in north India. International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 9(2), 535–537. https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20210437

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles