Outlining the Psychopathology Behind a Case of Conversion Syndrome: Is a Holistic Approach Beneficial?

About this publication

This is an original, plain-language summary based on the indexed abstract available through Europe PMC. It is not a reproduction of the article or a full-text review.

This case report considers how biological, psychological and social factors can be brought together when assessing persistent symptoms. It describes a patient with neurological and orthopaedic difficulties who had not improved despite several medical treatments and operations.

Approach

The authors describe a later psychiatric assessment that led to a diagnosis termed conversion syndrome in the paper. They used a biopsychosocial framework to interpret the presentation and guide psychiatric treatment, including psychotherapy and follow-up.

Main points

The abstract reports gradual improvement after psychiatric treatment. The authors use the case to illustrate the value of considering the whole clinical picture rather than viewing each symptom in isolation.

Important limitations

A single case cannot establish that this approach is effective for every patient or identify which part of treatment produced improvement. The abstract does not provide a controlled comparison or detailed outcome measures. The paper's historical terminology and diagnostic description should not be treated as current diagnostic guidance, or as evidence that unexplained symptoms are deliberately produced.

This summary is for academic information and is not personal medical advice.

Citation and original source

Falzon Aquilina F, Vella Fondacaro D. Outlining the psychopathology behind a case of conversion syndrome: Is a holistic approach beneficial? PsyCh Journal. 2016;5(1):31-35. DOI: 10.1002/pchj.125.

Original publication record. View the abstract used for this summary.

Source reviewed: 6 November 2026.