[Hysterical neurosis and its diagnosis (suggestion for a new hysteria scale]

The contribution deals with the differential diagnostic problem presented by hysterical neurosis. After a review of the literature, the author describes a two-stage diagnostic approach. A selected group of patients with the psychiatric diagnosis "hysterical neurosis" was used to check all questions of the MMPI and the FPI for their specificity in respect of hysteria. Due to numerous overlappings, especially between hypochondria and hysteria, in these inventories it is proposed that a new hysteria scale comprising 54 questions be used to delineate more clearly between these two neuroses.