CONVERSION DISORDER REVISITED

Fifty four consecutive subjects diagnosed as Hysteria (300.1 according to ICD-9), were taken up for study, to examine the usefulness and val idity of Lazare's criteria and explore its clinical utility in diagnos ing conversion disorders. Lazare's validation score was computed for e ach subject, and the specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive val idity and misclassification rates were computed for different cut off scores. A cut off score of 5 on Lazare's validation criteria gave good sensitivity (75%) but only modest specificity (41%). The individual c riteria showed variation in presence between 18% and 68%, and some of these such as ''disturbed sexuality'' and ''secondary gain'' were felt to require redefining. The study of patterns of previous history of o rganic illness, physical findings on clinical examination, lateralizat ion of symptoms, handedness and followup status indicated important as sociation between hysteria and organicity.