Psychiatric Symptoms in Disliked Medical Patients

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.