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In this paper Karen Horney gives the basis for her conception that specific emotional factors play a predominant role in certain gynæcological functional symptoms. In cases of frigidity that she has had under her care she has found that there is deep-rooted hostility to the male, very often an aversion to playing the female role, and in nearly all cases her patients have had antagonism to their mother or sister and a fear of retaliation, these fears being warded off by frigidity.
These situations were very clearly repeated in the transference situation during analysis.
In hyperemesis, premature delivery and depression after childbirth, unconscious hostility to the expected child played a large part. Fears of dying at childbirth, says Dr. Horney, are related to childhood antagonisms to the patients' pregnant mother, and a fear of her retaliation in the patient's own pregnancy.
Masturbation fears have a great influence on bodily processes and mental attitudes, their effect varies from hypochondriacal fears about something being wrong with the body, being abnormal, and being unable to have a child, to being one of the most important causes of menstrual disturbance.
'The psychical equivalent of the bodily processes in the genital organs