Carlos Morra and Ernst Franzek:  Psychopathological Symptoms
Pseudowaxy flexibiliy

Definition: Maintenance of imposed posture; limbs remain in the position they are placed regardless of how unnatural the position is.  

Exploration: The examiner moves one of the patient’s arms or legs into an unnatural and uncomfortable position. Pseudowaxy flexibility is present if the patient retains that posture for a few seconds before returning to resting position (Leonhard 1957; Petho and Ban 1989).

Synonym: Haltungsverharren

References:

Leonhard K. Classification of endogenous Psychosis and their Differentiated Etiology. Berlin: Springer Verlag; 1999, pp. 75-81

Petho B, Ban TA. DCR Budapest-Nashville in the diagnosis and classification of functional psychoses. Psychopathology 1989; 21: 153-240.

Carlos Morra and Ernst Franzek

November 24, 2016