The Changing Style of Symptomatology of Hysteria

Abstract: The symptomatology of 412 hysteric women was investigated and analyzed at the Neuropsychiatric Clinic, Tohoku University Hospital, from 1952 till 1973, according to the study stages, 1952–1957 and 1958–1973, and the patients' residence, both rural and urban. Withdrawal with taciturnity was seen in 27% of them and stubbornness with egocentricity in 14% as the frequent personality traits. Physical distress was significantly a frequent problem in the recent rural patients.

Among symptoms insomnia and tinnitus have decreased. Mutism and deviated attitude were seen more frequently in the rural patients. Astasiaabasia and syncope have increased. Generally speaking, hysteric symptomatology seemed to have become of tranquil style recently and the rural patients showed more frequently nonverbal expression in terms of mutism and deviated attitude than the urban patients.