title: Cognitive behavior therapy for somatization disorder: a preliminary investigation.
abstract: Patients diagnosed with somatization disorder have high rates of disability and often prove refractory to treatment. This preliminary investigation examines the effect of a 10-session cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) protocol on the physical discomfort and disability of severely impaired somatizers. The severity of patients' physical discomfort and disability was assessed at baseline, post-treatment, and eight months following treatment. Patients reported significant improvement in symptomatology and physical functioning between baseline and post-treatment as well as between baseline and follow-up. The findings suggest that CBT might benefit patients diagnosed with somatization disorder and should be subjected to a controlled treatment trial.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Piscataway 08854, USA. allenla@umdnj.edu
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Woolfolk
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Lehrer
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gara
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Escobar
mesh_terms: D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome