Delusional psychoses associated with unpatriotic conduct during World War II: a long-term follow-up study

Of a large sample of patients with paranoid psychoses consecutively admitted to the Psychiatric Department, University of Oslo, during a period after World War II, 10 patients (6.3%, 9 women and 1 man) became ill through accusations of unpatriotic conduct during the war. The psychosis seemed precipitated in connection with legal procedures against the patient in 3 cases, and against close relatives in 2 patients. In 2 cases mixed precipitating events were present, while the psychosis in 3 cases had a connection with the woman being intimate with occupation soldiers. Discharge diagnosis according to DSM-III was schizophrenia (n = 2), schizophreniform disorder (n = 4), schizoaffective disorder (n = 1), major depressive disorder (n = 1), mania (n = 1), and atypical psychosis (n = 1). The patients have been followed up twice, with a mean 31 years of observation. Course and outcome varied, mostly according to the diagnosis. Most patients had a favorable global outcome, although they had a tendency to keep up their social isolation. None of the patients felt they had done anything wrong or regretted their behavior during the war.