Hysterical Psychosis: Clarification of the Concept

Abstract

Rather than being the end product of a single process, hysterical psychosis may result from three different processes. To sharpen the focus on this often elusive entity, the authors discuss the three processes—culturally sanctioned behavior, appropriation of psychotic behavior, and true psychosis—and consider their relationship to each other and to the clinical categories of conversion reaction and hysterical personality.