title: Somatization and conversion disorders: comorbidity and demographics at presentation.
abstract: Although somatization disorder and conversion disorder are linked in DSM-III and DSM-III-R, they have very different histories. To directly compare these disorders, we reviewed the records accrued for 2 years at a large medical center and identified 65 somatization disorder patients and 51 conversion disorder patients. They differed substantially. The large majority (78%) of conversion disorder patients and nearly all (95%) of the somatization disorder patients were women. Ages at onset occurred throughout the life span among conversion disorder patients but mostly before the age of 21 among the somatization disorder patients. Somatization disorder patients were more likely to have had a history of depression, attempted suicide, panic disorder and divorce.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tomasson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kent
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Coryell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003291:Conversion Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007484:Iowa / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012737:Sex Factors; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology