Conversion disorder

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Risk factors

By Mayo Clinic staff

Conversion disorder risk factors include:

  • Recent significant stress or emotional trauma
  • Being female — women are much more likely to get conversion disorder
  • Being an adolescent or young adult — conversion disorder can occur at any age, but it's most common during adolescence or early adulthood
  • Having a mental health condition, such as mood and anxiety disorders, dissociative disorder and certain personality disorders
  • Having a family member with conversion disorder
  • A history of physical or sexual abuse
  • Financial problems
Complications Causes
References
  1. Conversion disorder. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed Nov. 3, 2010.
  2. Yutzy SH, et al. Conversion disorder. Skodol AE, et al. Specific personality disorders. In: Hales RE, et al. The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychiatry. 5th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2008. http://www.psychiatryonline.com/resourceToc.aspx?resourceID=5. Accessed Nov. 3, 2010.
  3. Compton K. Conversion disorder. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2011. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?sid=1078203392&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..00012-3--sc0215&isbn=978-0-323-05610-6&type=bookPage&sectionEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..00012-3--sc0215&uniqId=225194068-16. Accessed Nov. 3, 2010.
  4. Chastan N, et al. Psychogenic paralysis and recovery after motor cortex transcranial magnetic stimulation. Movement Disorders. 2010;25:1501.
  5. Conversion disorder. In: Gabbard GO, ed. Textbook of Psychotherapeutic Treatments. 4th ed.Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2009. http://www.psychiatryonline.com/resourceToc.aspx?resourceID=31. Accessed Nov. 3, 2010.
  6. Hall-Flavin DF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 3, 2010.
DS00877 Feb. 3, 2011

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