The role of psychiatrists in diagnosing conversion disorder: A mixed-methods analysis

Richard Kanaan; David Armstrong; Simon Wessely

doi:10.2147/NDT.S96330

The role of psychiatrists in diagnosing conversion disorder: A mixed-methods analysis

Richard Kanaan^*, David Armstrong, Simon Wessely

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

10 Citations (Scopus)

163 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Objective: Since DSM-5 removed the requirement for a psychosocial formulation, neurologists have been able to make the diagnosis of conversion disorder without psychiatric input. We sought to examine whether neurologists and specialist psychiatrists concurred with this approach. Design: We used mixed methods, first surveying all the neurologists in the UK and then interviewing the neuropsychiatrists in a large UK region on the role of psychiatrists in diagnosing conversion disorder. Results: Of the surveyed neurologists, 76% did not think that psychiatrists were essential for the diagnosis and 71% thought that psychiatrists did not even consider conversion disorder when referred a case. The neuropsychiatrists who were interviewed held complex models of conversion disorder. They believed all cases could be explained psychosocially in theory, but the nature of the diagnostic encounter often prevented it in practice; all felt that psychosocial formulation could be very helpful and some felt that it was essential to diagnosis. Conclusion: Although neurologists do not think psychiatrists are required for diagnosing conversion disorder, specialist psychiatrists disagree, at least in some cases.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1181-1184
Number of pages	4
Journal	Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
Volume	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S96330
Publication status	Published - 11 May 2016

Keywords

Classification
Functional neurological disorders
Psychiatric formulation
Qualitative research
Survey

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.2147/NDT.S96330Licence: CC BY

Theroleofpsychiatrists_KANAANAccepted14September2015_GOLDFPVFinal published version, 154 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{aa40e32ae98d44af9b6a36472cf77128,

title = "The role of psychiatrists in diagnosing conversion disorder: A mixed-methods analysis",

abstract = "Objective: Since DSM-5 removed the requirement for a psychosocial formulation, neurologists have been able to make the diagnosis of conversion disorder without psychiatric input. We sought to examine whether neurologists and specialist psychiatrists concurred with this approach. Design: We used mixed methods, first surveying all the neurologists in the UK and then interviewing the neuropsychiatrists in a large UK region on the role of psychiatrists in diagnosing conversion disorder. Results: Of the surveyed neurologists, 76% did not think that psychiatrists were essential for the diagnosis and 71% thought that psychiatrists did not even consider conversion disorder when referred a case. The neuropsychiatrists who were interviewed held complex models of conversion disorder. They believed all cases could be explained psychosocially in theory, but the nature of the diagnostic encounter often prevented it in practice; all felt that psychosocial formulation could be very helpful and some felt that it was essential to diagnosis. Conclusion: Although neurologists do not think psychiatrists are required for diagnosing conversion disorder, specialist psychiatrists disagree, at least in some cases.",

keywords = "Classification, Functional neurological disorders, Psychiatric formulation, Qualitative research, Survey",

author = "Richard Kanaan and David Armstrong and Simon Wessely",

year = "2016",

month = may,

day = "11",

doi = "10.2147/NDT.S96330",

language = "English",

volume = "12",

pages = "1181--1184",

journal = "Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment ",

issn = "1176-6328",

publisher = "Dove Medical Press Ltd.",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The role of psychiatrists in diagnosing conversion disorder

T2 - A mixed-methods analysis

AU - Kanaan, Richard

AU - Armstrong, David

AU - Wessely, Simon

PY - 2016/5/11

Y1 - 2016/5/11

N2 - Objective: Since DSM-5 removed the requirement for a psychosocial formulation, neurologists have been able to make the diagnosis of conversion disorder without psychiatric input. We sought to examine whether neurologists and specialist psychiatrists concurred with this approach. Design: We used mixed methods, first surveying all the neurologists in the UK and then interviewing the neuropsychiatrists in a large UK region on the role of psychiatrists in diagnosing conversion disorder. Results: Of the surveyed neurologists, 76% did not think that psychiatrists were essential for the diagnosis and 71% thought that psychiatrists did not even consider conversion disorder when referred a case. The neuropsychiatrists who were interviewed held complex models of conversion disorder. They believed all cases could be explained psychosocially in theory, but the nature of the diagnostic encounter often prevented it in practice; all felt that psychosocial formulation could be very helpful and some felt that it was essential to diagnosis. Conclusion: Although neurologists do not think psychiatrists are required for diagnosing conversion disorder, specialist psychiatrists disagree, at least in some cases.

AB - Objective: Since DSM-5 removed the requirement for a psychosocial formulation, neurologists have been able to make the diagnosis of conversion disorder without psychiatric input. We sought to examine whether neurologists and specialist psychiatrists concurred with this approach. Design: We used mixed methods, first surveying all the neurologists in the UK and then interviewing the neuropsychiatrists in a large UK region on the role of psychiatrists in diagnosing conversion disorder. Results: Of the surveyed neurologists, 76% did not think that psychiatrists were essential for the diagnosis and 71% thought that psychiatrists did not even consider conversion disorder when referred a case. The neuropsychiatrists who were interviewed held complex models of conversion disorder. They believed all cases could be explained psychosocially in theory, but the nature of the diagnostic encounter often prevented it in practice; all felt that psychosocial formulation could be very helpful and some felt that it was essential to diagnosis. Conclusion: Although neurologists do not think psychiatrists are required for diagnosing conversion disorder, specialist psychiatrists disagree, at least in some cases.

KW - Classification

KW - Functional neurological disorders

KW - Psychiatric formulation

KW - Qualitative research

KW - Survey

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84968616009&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.2147/NDT.S96330

DO - 10.2147/NDT.S96330

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84968616009

SN - 1176-6328

VL - 12

SP - 1181

EP - 1184

JO - Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment

JF - Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment

ER -

The role of psychiatrists in diagnosing conversion disorder: A mixed-methods analysis

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Cite this