The theory of 'psychosomatogenic family types' is often used in treatment of somatizing adolescents. This study investigated the validity of distinguishing 'psychosomatogenic family types' based on parents' self-reported family features. The study included a Flemish general population sample of 12-year olds (n = 1428). We performed cluster analysis on 3 variables concerning parents' self-report...

State anxiety, somatization of stress, quality of life, self-rated quality of sleep, and discomfort due to over-breathing which occurs when stressed were studied. Out of a total of 140 participants, seventy participants self-selected to be in a yoga group for stress relief (group mean age +/- SD, 33.0 +/- 6.5 years; 37 males). Seventy age and gender matched participants were in a control group....

OBJECTIVE To investigate the latent structure of somatic symptom reports in the general population with a bi-factor model and apply the structure to the analysis of change in reported symptoms after the emergence of an uncertain environmental health risk. METHODS Somatic symptoms were assessed in two general population environmental health cohorts (AMIGO, n=14,829 & POWER, n=951) using the so...

BACKGROUND To examine associations of Body mass Index (BMI) and mental distress in late midlife in a large Danish community sample and to investigate the effect of socio-demographic factors. METHODS The study sample comprised 3613 Danish men and 1673 women aged 49-63 years from the Copenhagen Ageing and Midlife Biobank (CAMB) with complete information on measured BMI, severity of mental sympt...

OBJECTIVE This study sought to examine the relationship between pseudoneurological symptoms (PNS) and somatic and psychiatric symptom severity, physical functioning, and psychiatric comorbidity. METHODS Interview and questionnaire data were obtained from 120 patients with somatization who participated in a study assessing the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Measures elicited informa...

Purpose Syncope is a common condition affecting almost one-third of the general population. The present study measures the prevalence of psychiatric traits in patients presenting with syncope (unexplained and vasovagal) and whether recurrent attacks have an impact on psychiatric profiles. Patients and methods This is a case-control study in a tertiary hospital enrolling all patients aged ≥12 ...

BACKGROUND Individuals with somatization may be the most difficult to manage because of the diverse and frequent complaints across many organ systems. They often use impressionistic language to describe circumstantial symptoms which though bizarre, may resemble genuine diseases. The disorder is best understood in the context "illness" behaviour, masking underlying mental disorder, manifesting s...

BACKGROUND Health- and illness-related cognitions of pediatric patients with asthma or somatization and of their caregivers are considered relevant for patient education and for cognitive-behavioral interventions. This study investigates the relationship between diagnosis and illness perception by child and parent in two different chronic conditions such as somatization disorder and asthma. M...

OBJECTIVE Our aim was to evaluate the effect of an educational program designed to improve care for somatizing patients in primary care. METHOD Evaluation was performed during routine clinical care in a cluster randomized controlled trial. Patients were included consecutively, and those with a high score on rating scales for somatization were selected for follow-up (n=911). Follow-up was cond...

Doctor Heinrich is chief, Psychiatric Consultation Service and assistant professor of Psychiatry at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin. Please address correspondence to Thomas Heinrich, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53226; phone 414.456.8950; fax 414.456.6...