The Mannheim Cohort Study, from which the results to be displayed below are taken, is an epidemiologic field survey on the prevalence of psychogenic disorders, i.e. the psychoneurotic, psychosomatic, and personality disorders listed as ICD items 300-306 in the 8th revision of the WHO. A representative sample of 600 randomly selected citizens from the city of Mannheim were examined twice from 1979-1985 by means of comprehensive sociological instruments in a semi-standardized psychoanalytical interview.
Instead of a wide birth range, we decided to investigate age classes, and each time took a 200-person sample from the records of the municipal registration office for individuals (both sexes) born in 1935, 1945 and 1955. The aim of this research strategy was to determine the possible influence of various historical and social conditions of development on the pathogenesis of psychogenic disorders.
The qualified interviewers involved in the project went to see the individuals at home. The examination, a biographical investigation which lasted for at least 3 hr, took the form of a semi-standardized structured interview as in dynamic psychotherapy. Thus, a quantity of findings concerning present and past morbidity, development, stress in infancy, aspects of present occupational and family life, and the organization of leisure time interspersed with sociological, psychological and psychoanalytical questions were included. A number of questionnaires (list of complaints, critical life events, personality inventories, measures of attitudes) were also inserted.
The criteria to be met for assessment as a “case” (sick person) were:
1, the temporal criterion of point prevalence, referring to the 7 days prior to examination;
2, the qualitative criterion of assessing an ICD diagnosis (Nos 300-306; 8th revision;
3, the quantitative criterion: grading the psychogenic impairment (Impairment Score = IS).
Five points plus had to be scored, or over 20 points according to the Goldberg-Cooper Interview.
The IS was designed as a conceptual complex rating in order to determine primarily psychogenic (non-organic) impairment on a somatic, psychic, and communication-related dimension. The individual's impairment is graded between 0-4 on each dimension, so that 3 single ratings add up to a maximum score of 12.
According to this definition, 156 out of 600 individuals examined were assessed as cases in the first survey. This means a point prevalence of 26%.