CONVERSION DISORDER;

Abstract

Objective: Frequency of the psychosocial stressors and stressful life events inchildren presenting with conversion disorder. Study design: A descriptive study. Place &duration of study: The study was conducted in the Department of Psychiatry & BehaviouralSciences, Bahawal Victoria Hospital & Quaid-e-Azam Medical College, Bahawalpur fromJanuary, 2010 to October, 2010. Subjects & methods: The sample consisted of 100 in-patients(62 Female, 38 Male) with Conversion Disorder. They were interviewed and results were analysedfrom the entries in a Performa. The Presumptive Stressful life Events Scale (PSLES) wasadministered by an open ended interview to elicit major life events in the past 10 months.Results: Stressors were clearly identified in 100 patients. In all patients, we found more than onestressor. Among patients, there were (29%) Educational and study stressors, (20%) Parent’sdeath / Separation, (20%) Sexual Abuse, (14%) Sibling Rivalry, (13%) Pampered / DemandingChild, (10%) Attention Seeking, (8%) Peer Group Problems, (8%) Improper Parenting, (8%)Learned behaviour, (7%) Emotional Involvement Issues, (5%) Habit of stealing and (4%) AdoptedChild. Conclusions: We concluded that stressors and life events were present in all conversiondisorder’s patients and these stressful life events are important causal factors for ConversionDisorder. Severe and sudden emotional stress serves to precipitate conversion reaction inpredisposed children. The symptom serves to solve the conflict and the gain obtained served toperpetuate the illness.