Understanding Folie à Deux: A Review
Author Information
Author(s): Danilo Arnone, Anish Patel, Giles Ming-Yee Tan
Primary Institution: Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK
Hypothesis
The study aims to explore the nosological significance of Folie à Deux and its broader implications beyond current diagnostic criteria.
Conclusion
Folie à Deux can occur in many situations outside the confines of current classification systems and is not as rare as believed.
Supporting Evidence
- The review identified 64 cases, with 42 meeting inclusion criteria.
- There was a high degree of similarity in psychiatric history between primary and secondary cases.
- Social isolation was reported as a major risk factor in 64.3% of cases.
Takeaway
Folie à Deux is when one person shares delusions with another, and it can happen more often than we think, even in different situations.
Methodology
A systematic review of literature from 1993 to 2005 identifying cases of Folie à Deux.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the variability of diagnostic criteria used in the identification of cases.
Limitations
Variability in diagnostic criteria and inability to combine results with earlier reviews due to methodological differences.
Participant Demographics
The study included 42 cases, with a mean age of 52.7 for primaries and 45.9 for secondaries, predominantly female.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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