The Stress Coping Strategies and Psychological Characteristics in Patients with Somatization Disorder

Lee, Ju Yeon; Lee, Moo Suk; Yoon, Jin Sang; Yang, Jong Chul; Mun, Ji Ung; Jung, Hae Won; Eun, Sung Jong

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to investigate the stress coping strategies and psychological characteristics, such as combined psychopathology and tendency of symptom interpretation, in patients with somatization disorder.
METHODS
Thirty patients meeting the criteria of DSM-IV somatization disorder were compared with thirty controls. We evaluated the subjects using Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), Somato-Sensory Amplification Scale (SSAS), Symptom Interpretation Questionnaire (SIQ), and The Ways of Stress Coping Questionnaire (SCQ). Independent t-test and Pearson correlation analysis were used.
RESULTS
From the results of SCL-90-R subscales, the scores of somatization, obsession-compulsion, depression, anxiety, and psychoticism were significantly higher in patients with somatization disorder than normal controls. Somatization disorder patients had greater amplification of physical sensation in SSAS and significantly higher score in physical interpretation of SIQ compared with psychological or environmental interpretation. In the SCQ of somatization disorder patients, we observed generally lower levels of total coping scores than the control group and significant positive correlation between passive coping style of SCQ and psychological interpretation of SIQ.
CONCLUSION
These results show that patients with somatization disorder have various psychopathology, greater amplification of physical sensation, physical interpretation tendency of symptoms, and insufficient copying strategy.