Tickle Responses in Eczema Patients and Normal Controls

摘要

Kepecs’/i> Tickle Test was applied in a modified form to 69 eczema patients and 20 normal controls. Whilst Kepecs’/i> ideas were supported, the presence or duration of an After-Sensation was found to distinguish between eczema patients with and without overt emotional disturbance more than the response during application of a 2-min tickle stimulus; but tickle responses on the eczema itself, rather than unaffected forehead and palm, did powerfully discriminate. Hand eczema cases suggest the possibility that the cathexis or counter-cathexis of the hands, as executants of conflictful sexual or aggressive impulses, explains the different ‘gradients’ of ticklishness in the two types of eczema patient. The responses seem to interact meaningfully with several personality variables. Further work is