The role of psychosocial factors in fibromyalgia syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
The main objective of this review was to evaluate the role of psychosocial factors in the development of fibromyalgia syndrome.


METHODS
Review of the literature concerning the influence of psychosocial factors.


RESULTS
In fibromyalgia syndrome psychosocial factors are relevant at different etiological levels. They can be classified into predisposing, triggering and stabilising/"chronifying" factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Due to the increasing knowledge about the influence of psychosocial factors for the development of fibromyalgia, the biomedical model has to be expanded to a biopsychosocial model. The biopsychosocial concept has an impact on the therapeutic approach. Strong evidence for the model is provided by the good results of interdisciplinary treatment studies.
Eich
W
W
Medizinische Klinik der Universität Heidelberg, Abteilung Innere Medizin II, Germany. Wolfgang_Eich@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Hartmann
M
M
Müller
A
A
Fischer
H
H
D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005190:Family; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans