Analysis of 13 cases of baby stealing by women distinguished four groups of cases. (1) Girls of subnormal intelligence, who stole a baby to play with. (2) Schizophrenic patients, whose offence was motivated by delusional ideas. (3) Psychopathic personalities, characterized by a previous history of delinquency, hysterical personality traits, and a preoccupation with their desire to have children. Their baby stealing seemed motivated by an attempt to compensate for their emotional deprivation, and they usually stole children whom they had previously helped to care for. (4) A "manipulative" group with a milder degree of personality disorder, in whom the motive for baby stealing was an attempt to influence a man by whom they had become pregnant and with whom their relationship was insecure. The offence was precipitated by a crisis such as a miscarriage or the threat of desertion. These women presented the stolen baby to their partner pretending that the child was his.Baby stealing seems usually to be an attempt to compensate for emotional deprivation or frustrated maternal feelings, and a real or imaginary miscarriage may be a predisposing or precipitating factor. The offence rarely seems premediated, though there was evidence of previous planning in some cases, particularly in the manipulative group. The stolen babies were well cared for and were usually quickly recovered. (+info)
The hallucinations of widowhood.
(5/7)
227 widows and 66 widowers were interviewed to determine the extent to which they had hallucinatory experiences of their dead spouse. The people interviewed formed 80.7% of all widowed people resident within a defined area, in mid-Wales, and 94.2% of those suitable, through the absence of incapacitating illness, for interview.Almost half the people interviewed had hallucinations or illusions of the dead spouse. The proportion of men and women who had these experiences was similar. The hallucinations often lasted many years but were most common during the first 10 years of widowhood. Social isolation did not affect the incidence of hallucination, nor was it related to the incidence of known depressive illness. There was no variation within cultural groups and there was no variation with place of residence, whether this was within town, country, or village, or within England and Wales.Young people were less likely to be hallucinated than those widowed after the age of 40. The incidence of hallucination increased with length of marriage and was particularly associated with a happy marriage and parenthood. Members of the "professional and managerial" group were particularly likely to be hallucinated, while widows of "non-manual and sales workers" were the ones least likely to be hallucinated. The incidence was greater with hysteroid than obsessoid people. It was unusual for the hallucinations to have been disclosed, even to close friends or relatives.These hallucinations are considered to be normal and helpful accompaniments of widowhood. (+info)
The prevention of recurrent suicidal acts.
(6/7)
1 There have been few controlled prospective investigations into the prevention of suicidal behaviour and by and large they have failed to demonstrate the efficacy of social work, psychotherapy or psychiatric treatment. 2 A group of 58 high-risk patients with multiple episodes of suicidal behaviour was treated with mianserin 30 mg at night or placebo in a six month double-blind trial of the efficacy of an antidepressant in reducing suicidal behaviour. 3 Patients were screened for depression, schizophrenia and organic disease. Patients were diagnosed as suffering from personality disorders according to DSM-III criteria mainly borderline or histrionic. 4 There was no significant difference in outcome between the mianserin and placebo treated group at any point in the six month study. 5 An item analysis of the MADRS showed that at entry the item 'reduced appetite' predicted subsequent suicidal attempt. The total MADRS score did not predict further suicidal acts at entry but was highly significant at four weeks. At four weeks the items 'reduced sleep' and 'reduced appetite' were highly significant predictors of further suicidal acts and the items 'lassitude', 'suicidal thoughts', 'inability to feel' and 'pessimistic thoughts' were significant predictors. (+info)
Psychotherapy for histrionic personality disorder.
(7/7)
The author uses a configurational analysis method for case formulation and to establish links between individualized formulation and treatment techniques. A prototype of formulation for the histrionic personality disorder is presented, using theories for formulation about states of mind, defensive control processes, and person schemas. A phase-oriented prototype of a treatment plan is linked to these levels of formulation. The result can provide a guideline for clinicians and a teaching document for trainees. (+info)