A longitudinal pilot study of the Rorschach as a neuropsychological instrument.

• Six patients with organic mental disorders, in all cases including Korsakoff’s amnestic disorder (KAD) and in four cases due to a complication after an aneurysm operation, were followed for up to two years. Each patient was assessed at least three times; the total number of assessment points was 26. The patients’ neuropsychiatric status was assessed clinically according to the diagnostic system of Lindqvist & Malmgren. The severity of the individual disorders and the global severity of the neuropsychiatric disturbance were estimated on each occasion. The patients were assessed using memory, concentration and general intelligence tests, and independently with Rorschach according to Bohm’s method. The scores on 38 selected Rorschach variables were compared with the clinical assessments and with the other test data. In accord with earlier studies we found that KAD has a Rorschach profile which differs significantly from the findings in patients where other organic mental disorders dominate the clinical picture. We also saw a previously not reported sign of KAD, namely, frequent contaminated whole responses. A comparison with the judgments of global severity also gave some support to the thesis that the Rorschach is a valid indicator of organic mental disorder in general. Altogether the study shows that the longitudinal design offers great possibilities for the analysis of Rorschach signs of organic mental disorders.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Psykiatri (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Psychiatry (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Neurologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Neurology (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Rorschach test

organic mental disorders

longitudinal study

amnestic syndrome

Korsakow

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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