THE PSYCHOSOMATIC INTERVIEW IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF FUNCTIONAL VOICE DISORDERS

For the psychosomatic diagnosis of functional voice disorders, the con cept of a semistructured psychosomatic interview is presented which fo llows the principles of psychoanalytic interviewing and of deep-psycho logical biographical anamnesis. It also takes into account the special features of dysphonic patients as psychosomatic patients, the charact eristics of functional voice disorders, and the interrelationship of v oice and psychosocial biography. The psychosomatic interview consists of the components interviewing situation, voice symptomatology and voi ce genesis, psychosocial biographical anamnesis and indication to psyc hotherapy. Beginning and end of the interview are fixed, whereas in th e further course the selection of elements is fitted to the conflict c onstellations of the patient.