Fifteen-year follow-up of conversion disorder.

ABSTRACT

The terms 'conversion', 'hysteria' and 'conversion hysteria' were used interchangeably to describe a condition characterised by a single somatised symptom, often pseudo-neurological in nature. DSM-III (American Psychiatric Association, 1980) expanded the concept of conversion to generalised symptoms involving loss or alteration of physical functioning suggestive of a physical disorder, along with a clinical indication that the conversion was an expression of psychological conflict or need. The type of symptom or deficit should be specified as with motor symptom or deficit, with sensory symptom or deficit, with seizure or convulsions, or with mixed presentation (Kaplan & Sadock, 2004).