The sociodemographic and clinical pattern of hysteria

Abstract EN

The objective of this study is to describe prospectively the sociodemographic and clinical parameters of patients with hysteria presenting to psychiatric emergency services of five regional hospitals in saudi arabia.

method: this multicenter study recruited 132 patients* with hysteria, diagnosed in accordance with the fourth edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder criteria (dsmiv).

results: the majority of patients were females (70%), young (<30 years, 87% ) and single (63%).

most of them presented with conversion disorder (98%) and were chiefly characterized by a single symptom.

the most frequent symptoms whether single or in combination with other symptoms were aphonia (31.2%), fit¬like movements (29.6%) and loss of consciousness (25.6%).

a proportion of patients (23.5%) was clinically depressed.

conclusion: the socioclinical pattern of hysteria in saudi arabia appears to be changing.

it is mostly consistent with international data but the explanations are different.

in light of this study and other reviewed researches, it is suggested that a long-term study should be pursued in order to identify the final course and outcome of such clients