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Involutional melancholia

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Summary

  1. 1.

    The pre-psychotic personality of patients developing agitated depressions is described as the anal-compulsive character.

  2. 2.

    The development and characteristics of the anal character are outlined.

  3. 3.

    The agitated depressions are considered as the decompensation of an anal character.

  4. 4.

    The precipitating factors are considered to be traumata which prevent the maintenance of characteristically rigid ego defenses.

  5. 5.

    A differential comparison is made of the psychodynamics of the reactive and agitated depressions.

  6. 6.

    The psychopathology of the symptoms is related to the prepsychotic personality and its decompensation.

  7. 7.

    Two illustrative cases are presented.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Syracuse Psychopathic Hospital, Syracuse, N. Y.

    Joseph Barnett M. D., Arthur Lefford M. A. & Donald Pushman M. D.

Authors
  1. Joseph Barnett M. D.
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  2. Arthur Lefford M. A.
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  3. Donald Pushman M. D.
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Barnett, J., Lefford, A. & Pushman, D. Involutional melancholia. Psych Quar 27, 654–662 (1953). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01562516

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01562516

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