Observational studyBrain and behavior2020
Childhood sexual abuse predicts treatment outcome in conversion disorder/functional neurological disorder. An observational longitudinal study.
Observational study in Brain and behavior, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Co-occurrence of dissociation and anxiety and depressive disorders in adults: a scoping review.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- Measurement Properties of the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 and Somatic Symptom Scale-8: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.JAMA network open · 2024Pooled it
- Pain and functional neurological disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry · 2024Pooled it
- Systematic review exploring the relationship between sexual abuse and lower urinary tract symptoms.International urogynecology journal · 2023Pooled it
- Characterisation of Chronic Pain Syndrome in Patients With Functional Neurological Disorder.European journal of pain (London, England) · 2026Article
- The Effectiveness of Brief Multidisciplinary Outpatient Treatment for Functional Neurological Disorder: A Pilot Study.Physiotherapy Canada. Physiotherapie Canada · 2026Article
- Unraveling functional neurological disorder in pediatric populations: A systematic review of diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes.World journal of clinical pediatrics · 2025Article
- Understanding Functional Neurological Disorder: Recent Insights and Diagnostic Challenges.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Review
- Functional Tic-Like Behaviors: A Common Comorbidity in Patients with Tourette Syndrome.Movement disorders clinical practice · 2024Article
- Functional neurological disorder is a feminist issue.Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry · 2023Review
- Methylome changes associated with functional movement/conversion disorder: Influence of biological sex and childhood abuse exposure.Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry · 2023Article
- The 10-item Adverse Childhood Experience International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ-10): psychometric properties of the Dutch version in two clinical samples.European journal of psychotraumatology · 2023Article
- Toward a possible trauma subtype of functional neurological disorder: Impact on symptom severity and physical health.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2022Article
- A dimensional approach to functional movement disorders: Heresy or opportunity.Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews · 2021Review
- Assessment of cytokines, microRNA and patient related outcome measures in conversion disorder/functional neurological disorder (CD/FND): The CANDO clinical feasibility study.Brain, behavior, & immunity - health · 2021Article
- Childhood sexual abuse predicts treatment outcome in conversion disorder/functional neurological disorder. An observational longitudinal study.Brain and behavior · 2020Observational
- Psychogenic Pseudosyncope: Clinical Features, Diagnosis and Management.Journal of atrial fibrillationArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveExplore trauma, stress, and other predictive factors for treatment outcome in conversion disorder/functional neurological disorder (CD/FND).
methodsProspective observational design. Clinical cohort study among consecutive outpatients with DSM-IV CD/FND in a specialized mental health institution for somatic symptom disorders and related disorders (SSRD), presented between 1 February 2010 and 31 December 2017. Patient files were assessed for early childhood trauma, childhood sexual abuse, current stress, and other predictive factors. Patient-related routine outcome monitoring (PROM) data were evaluated for treatment outcome at physical (Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ15], Physical Symptoms Questionnaire [PSQ]) level as primary outcome, and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ9]), anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder [GAD7]), general functioning (Short Form 36 Health Survey [SF36]), and pain (Brief Pain Inventory [BPI]) as secondary outcome.
resultsA total of 64 outpatients were included in the study. 70.3% of the sample reported childhood trauma and 64.1% a recent life event. Mean scores of patients proceeding to treatment improved. Sexual abuse in childhood (F(1, 28) = 30.068, β = 0.608 p < .001) was significantly associated with worse physical (PHQ15, PSQ) treatment outcome. 42.2% reported comorbid depression, and this was significantly associated with worse concomitant depressive (PHQ9) (F[1, 39] = 11.526, β = 0.478, p = .002) and anxiety (GAD7) (F[1,34] = 7.950, β = 0.435, p = .008) outcome.
conclusionChildhood sexual abuse is significantly associated with poor treatment outcome in CD/FND. Randomized clinical trials evaluating treatment models addressing childhood sexual abuse in CD are needed.
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