Premium
Penile malformation and mental health
Author(s) -
Berg R.,
Berg G.,
Svensson J.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1982.tb06721.x
Subject(s) - shyness , neuroticism , anxiety , mental health , psychology , proband , psychiatry , psychopathology , depression (economics) , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , personality , social psychology , biochemistry , chemistry , macroeconomics , economics , mutation , gene
Aspects of mental health were investigated by means of interviews and register data in 34 men operated on for hypospadias in childhood and in 36 matched control subjects. Most hypospadiacs adjust well both in childhood and adult age. However, they reported more neurotic disturbances in their childhood than the controls. Shyness and enuresis were common troubles among the probands, and they had been more timid, isolated and mobbed. Similar although less striking differences in mental health were reported also in adult age. Depression and anxiety were dominating symptoms. The interviewer assessed the hypospadiacs to show more anxiety and to use more immature defence mechanisms and consequently to have less stress tolerance. The probands were further judged to have less capacity for social relations and their over‐all capacity to utilize existent psychological resources was small as compared to the controls. The findings indicate that hypospadiacs are more prone to neurotic (but not psychotic) disturbances than other young men and have more disturbed social relations. The need for psychological guidance for the boys and their parents is stressed.