title: Somatization, dissociation, and tension-reducing behaviors in psychiatric outpatients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Conceptual and methodological difficulties exist in assessing coping behaviors.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study investigated coping behaviors in 102 psychiatric outpatients. We used the Dissociative Experiences Scale, a 17-item posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) checklist; 2 measures of somatization (the Wahler Physical Symptom Inventory and the Physical Symptom Questionnaire), and 21 questions about subject involvement in positive and pathologic tension-reducing behaviors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preliminary data suggest that dissociative symptoms, PTSD-like symptoms, and somatization are associated with a variety of positive and pathologic tension-reducing behaviors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that psychiatric outpatients have an array of coping behavior: some are health-promoting, others are relatively self-destructive.
authors.affiliation: Kaiser Foundation Research Institute, Oakland, Calif, USA. melifarley@aol.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farley
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Barkan
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001143:Arousal; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012803:Sick Role; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology