Group therapy for somatization disorders in primary care: maintenance of treatment goals of short cognitive-behavioural treatment one-and-a-half-year follow-up.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to evaluate the maintenance of treatment goals of a short cognitive-behavioural group treatment programme for the management of somatization disorders in primary care.


METHODS
In a previous controlled 6-month follow-up study, patients with somatization disorders (n=32) improved with respect to illness and somatic preoccupation, hypochondriasis, and medication usage. In the present report the same group of patients were also investigated one-and-a-half year after initial treatment.


RESULTS
The long-term follow-up manifested maintained improvement with respect to hypochondriasis. There was additional reduction of anxiety and psychosocial preoccupation, whereas somatization and depression-anxiety scores improved progressively.


CONCLUSIONS
A short cognitive-behavioural group treatment of psychosomatic patients can be useful in primary care and may manifest maintained or progressive beneficial outcome.
Lidbeck
J
J
Pain Management Clinic, Department of Anaesthesiology, Hospital of Helsingborg, Helsingborg, Sweden. jan.lidbeck@helsingsborgdlasarett.se
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome