SIMULTANEOUS DIAGNOSTIC IN THE PSYCHOSOMA TIC FIELD - CHANGING PERSPECTIVES AS A TECHNIQUE TO DEVELOP THE DIAGNOSTIC STRATEGY

Psychosomatic diagnostic aims at increasing the precision of the indic ation and the effectiveness of the therapeutic process. The concept of simultaneous diagnostic has proved to be beneficial in clinical work. It establishes a focus for various diagnostic and therapeutic facets: soma vs psyche, psychodynamic vs family dynamic and institution vs in dividual. It requires a procedure that adapts to the specific situatio n of the patient and takes into account that the therapist himself is a diagnostic instrument. This concept of simultaneous diagnostic is di scribed in this article through an example drawn from the practice of a psychosomatic clinic. The value of the operational psychiatric class ification systems as well as the value of individual case histories is discussed, on the basis of empirical research which has accompanied t he clinical work.