Briquet's syndrome (hysteria) is both a somatoform and a 'psychoform' illness: A Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory study

We describe the results of a follow-up study on patients with hysteria using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) to evaluate the multiple complaints of these patients. MMPIs were obtained from 29 women with primary affective disorder and 37 women with Briquet's syndrome as part of a follow-up study of the St. Louis clinic 500. Patients with Briquet's syndrome were significantly less consistent and logical in answering MMPIs and were more likely to emphasize personal psychopathological conditions. They reported many more symptoms in many more problem areas than did women with primary affective disorder. Patients with Briquet's syndrome reported significantly more somatic symptoms and psychological/interpersonal problems than did the depressed group. It was suggested that such patients mimic multiple psychiatric and somatic disorders.