The So Called Good Hysteric

Abstract
Discusses the specific developmental hazards
which appear to be determinants of the relatively high incidence of
hysterical symptoms in women. It is hypothesized that the true hysteric,
male or female, has experienced a triangular oedipal conflict. Women
whose presenting symptomatology suggests a diagnosis of either
hysterical character or hysterical neurosis are classified into 4
subgroups, based on their response to therapeutic analysis: (1) good
hysterics who are prepared for traditional analysis, (2) potentially
good hysterics, (3) women with an underlying depressive character
structure who frequently present manifest hysterical symptomatology, and
(4) women whose manifest hysterical symptomatology proves to be
pseudooedipal and pseudogenital.