Patients diagnosed with somatization disorder have high rates of disability
and often prove refractory to treatment. This preliminary investigation ex
amines the effect of a 10-session cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) protocol
on the physical discomfort and disability of severely impaired somatizers.
The severity of patients' physical discomfort and disability was assessed
at baseline, post-treatment, and eight months following treatment. Patients
reported significant improvement in symptomatology and physical functionin
g between baseline and post-treatment as well as between baseline and follo
w-up. The findings suggest that CBT might benefit patients diagnosed with s
omatization disorder and should be subjected to a controlled treatment tria
l. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.