THE ATTRIBUTION OF SOMATIC SYMPTOMS IN PSYCHIATRIC OUTPATIENTS

The attribution of common somatic symptoms was investigated in 100 psy chiatric outpatients. Subjects who were more depressed and alexithymic as measured by the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) tended to endorse a psychological attribution for somatic complaints. Somatosensory ampl ification, anxiety, and inability to express and report specific feeli ngs predieted psychological attribution. The data support the role of alexithymia in somatization and further explain a possible role of psy chological attribution of somatic symptoms in the underrecognition of physical disorders in psychiatric patients. Copyright (C) 1995 by W.B. Saunders Company