The Cognitive Characteristics of Somatizer according to Depressive Symptoms and Sex

Jung, Han Yong; Park, Joon Ho; Lee, Soyoung Irene

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Recent researchers on the mechanism of somatization adapted the view of cognitive theory. A few studies were carried out on the studies of the difference of characteristics in various somatizers in Korea. The aim of the study was to investigate the differences of somato-sensory amplification and symptom interpretation in accation to depressive symptoms and sex. Furthermore, we investigated the relationship of somatosensory amplification and symptom interpretation to somatization in relation to depressive symptoms and sex.
METHODS
The somatization scale of SCL-90-R, the depression scale of MMPI, Somato-sensory Amplification Scale (SSAS), and Symptom Interpretation Questionnaire (SIQ) were administered to 299 somatizers. Using independent t-test, we compared the difference of the mean score of SSAS and SIQ in each group. In addition, using stepwise multiple regression analysis, somatization scale was regressed on SSAS and SIQ subscales.
RESULTS
Compared with each group, depressive somatizer's mean score of SSAS, SIQ physical, SIQ psychological, and SIQ catastrophic interpretation were significantly higher than non-depressive somatizer's. And female somatizer's mean score of SSAS were significantly higher than male somatizer's. As the results of regression analysis, indicate in depressive somatizer, SSAS, SIQ physical, and SIQ psychological interpretation predicted somatization, indicating that higher SSAS, SIQ physical, and psychological interpretation were related to somatization. Furthermore, in the female somatizer, SSAS, SIQ physical, and SIQ psychological interpretation predicted somatization, indicating that higher SSAS, SIQ physical, and SIQ psychological interpretation were related to somatization. On the other hands, in the male somatizer, SSAS and SIQ catastrophic interpretation predicted somatization, indicating that higher SSAS and SIQ catastrophic interpretation were related to somatization.
CONCLUSION
These results suggested that the depressive somatizer amplified their somato-sensory perceptions because they internalized to depressive symptoms. In addition, these results suggest that because female somatizer tends to attribute somatic symptoms more to physical illnesses and to amplifiy their somato-sensory perceptions in comparison with male somatizer, female complains more somatic symptoms thus more prevalence of somatization disorder than male.