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The Prevalence of Conversion Symptoms in Women From a General Turkish Population

Received January 2, 2007; revised May 1, 2007; accepted May 18, 2007. From the Clinical Psychotherapy Unit and Dissociative Disorders Program, Dept. of Psychiatry, Medical Faculty of Istanbul, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey. Send correspondence and reprint requests to Vedat Sar, M.D., Istanbul Tip Fakültesi Psikiyatri Klinigi, 34390 Capa, Istanbul, Turkey. e-mail: vsar{at}istanbul.edu.tr
© 2009 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine

BACKGROUND: Conversion symptoms have historically be seen to be related to dissociative disorders and early trauma. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to determine the prevalence of conversion symptoms among women in the general Turkish population. METHOD: Participants (N=628) were administered The Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule, the Borderline Personality Disorder section of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM–III-R Personality Disorders, and the PTSD Module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM–III-R; 48.7% of participants had a lifetime history of a conversion symptom. They reported various types of childhood abuse and neglect more frequently than nonconversion subjects. RESULTS: Lifetime diagnosis of major depression, dissociative disorder, and childhood physical abuse predicted a conversion symptom. Effects of childhood neglect and emotional and sexual abuse among subjects with conversion symptoms were mediated by comorbid lifetime diagnosis of major depression and dissociative disorders. CONCLUSION: The authors suggest revisions to the DSM–V regarding conversion and somatization disorders.

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