[Study on the role of personality factors for successful lithium long-term therapy (author's transl)].

20 female manic-depressive out-patients who had been treated with lithium over a long period (average time = 4.3 years), were submitted to a psychoanalytic interview and a personality test (FPI). The interview focussed to changes in personality with special regard to the rise of novel impulses and conflicts. The severity of neurotic conflicts as well as the frequency of specific events preceding a relapse were investigated. The results suggest that a subgroup of out-patients should be given psychotherapy in addition to long-term lithium-treatment. This hypothesis will be tested in a further investigation.