Abnormal illness behaviour: the nursing contribution.

Patients who suffer from physical symptoms with no apparent organic pathology often receive inappropriate care in the general hospital. Many terms have been used to describe such patients, often derogatory. More careful assessment, systematic description and treatments are required from all staff. In this study a sample (N = 79) of patients with various 'hysterical' complaints, other than pain, were interviewed, and completed a set of psychological instruments to detect any personality or mood disturbance. These data were also collected from two comparison groups from a psychiatric clinic (34) and a neurological setting (36). The main purpose of this study, to identify differences between these groups, was achieved. Patients in the main sample were found to have a high frequency of affective disturbance, being moderately anxious and depressed. Most understood that their problems may have been psychological but had an unrealistic view of their coping strategies and life problems. Nurses in both general and psychiatric settings could have an immensely important role in both identifying such patients and their needs and in providing appropriate guidance and treatments.