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Characteristics of a child inpatient population with hysteria in India
S Srinath1, S Bharat, S Girimaji
1Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Services.
Insights
Childhood hysteria is common in Indian psychiatric clinics, with higher rates in inpatients. Intensive inpatient treatment led to rapid symptom remission, suggesting cultural factors influence help-seeking behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Psychological Medicine
- Cultural Psychiatry
Background:
- Childhood hysteria presents unique diagnostic and treatment challenges in diverse cultural contexts.
- Understanding the prevalence and clinical correlates of hysteria in Indian children is crucial for effective mental healthcare delivery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the incidence, associated factors, and clinical outcomes of childhood hysteria among inpatient and outpatient child psychiatric populations in India.
- To compare the rates of hysteria between inpatient and outpatient services.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of case records from a 1-year period at the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore.
- Inclusion of 143 inpatient and 640 outpatient admissions.
Main Results:
- Hysteria was diagnosed in 30.8% of inpatients and 14.8% of outpatients.
- Inpatient cases were predominantly postpubertal, with an even gender distribution and pseudo-seizures as the most common symptom.
- Inpatients exhibited a shorter duration of illness at admission and generally positive short-term outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Childhood hysterical symptoms represent a significant portion of cases in Indian child psychiatric services.
- Cultural factors may influence the presentation and seeking of psychiatric help for medical conditions.
- Structured inpatient treatment facilitated rapid symptom remission, warranting further research into hysteria subtypes.
Objective:
This study examined the rate, correlates, and clinical outcome of childhood hysteria in a sample of inpatients in India. For comparison, the rate of this disorder among outpatients was computed.
Method:
Data were derived from case records of inpatient (n = 143) and outpatient admissions (n = 640) during a 1-year interval at the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, South India.
Results:
The diagnosis of hysteria was made in 30.8% (n = 44) of the inpatient and 14.8% (n = 95) of the outpatient samples. The inpatients with hysteria were mostly postpubertal, their gender distribution was approximately even, and pseudo-seizure was the most frequent presentation. These inpatients had a brief duration of illness at admission and short-term outcome was generally positive.
Conclusions:
Children with hysterical symptoms form a notable proportion of cases in child guidance and psychiatry clinics in India. It could be that, in this culture, having a "medical" illness is one of the more acceptable means of seeking psychiatric help. The use of a structured and intensive inpatient treatment package appeared to bring about rapid symptom remission. Some of the present findings could be the basis to explore subtypes of childhood hysteria.