THE ATTRIBUTION OF SOMATIC SYMPTOMS IN PSYCHIATRIC OUTPATIENTS

Authors
Citation
Tn. Wise et Ls. Mann, THE ATTRIBUTION OF SOMATIC SYMPTOMS IN PSYCHIATRIC OUTPATIENTS, Comprehensive psychiatry, 36(6), 1995, pp. 407-410
Citations number
27
Categorie Soggetti
Psychiatry,Psychiatry
Journal title
ISSN journal
0010440X
Volume
36
Issue
6
Year of publication
1995
Pages
407 - 410
Database
ISI
SICI code
0010-440X(1995)36:6<407:TAOSSI>2.0.ZU;2-F
Abstract
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