Psychiatric symptoms in disliked medical patients
J. M. Goodwin, J. S. Goodwin and R. Kellner
Twenty-two patients seen in a clinic for systemic lupus erythematosus were
tested for organicity, depression, anxiety, and hostility. Four of the
clinic's physicians ranked these patients from most liked to least liked.
In three of the four physicians, dislike was significantly correlated with
the patient's degree of organicity. Ten of the patients were ranked among
the three most disliked patients by one or more of the ranking physicians.
This group of most disliked patients contained all patients with signs of
organic brain damage and all suicidal patients. Dislike of a patient by the
physician may be a clue to serious psychiatric impairment.
