NEUROTIC TENDENCIES IN EPILEPSY

Abstract

38 epileptic patients (20 women, 18 men) were tested with the Word Connexion List, Mandsley Questionnaire and the Ranking Rorschach Test to determine neurotic tendencies. The epileptic group scored 1 standard deviation below a normal group, a fact tentatively equated with neuroticism. There was no correlation between the lengths of illness and neuroticism. The more neurotic subjects had lower abstract intelligence scores, lower vocabulary scores and lower conceptual quotients on the Shipley-Hartford scale. It is concluded that epileptics tend to have a stronger neurotic disposition than nonepileptics.