Factors Predictive of Outcome in Neurosis

¹ Consultant Psychiatrist, All Saints Hospital, Lodge Road, Birmingham, B18 5SD; Clinical Tutor, University of Birmingham

A follow-up study was conducted on 146 patients, all the first admissions of one year with the diagnosis of neurosis, admitted as in-patients and day-patients to a hospital giving a general psychiatric early treatment service in Birmingham. Tracing exceeded 97 per cent. Various methods of treatment had been used. Patients were followed up with an interview at their home 12 years after discharge. There were two interviewers, a social worker and a psychiatrist. Assessment at follow-up was on a five-point graded scale in which contributions to the total outcome were made by the social and symptomatic state of the ex-patient.

Twenty-six statistically significant predictive factors were found from the detailed initial information when a graded rating for total outcome at follow-up was compared with presence or absence of the factor. When individual factors were combined, unsatisfactory marital and sexual relationship, poor material management, unsatisfactory social state, and unsatisfactory early environment were predictive of poor outcome. Tests for validity and reliability of the method were carried out.

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