Bioenergetic exercises in inpatient treatment of Turkish immigrants with chronic somatoform disorders: a randomized, controlled study.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine whether bioenergetic exercises (BE) significantly influence the inpatient psychotherapeutic treatment results for Turkish immigrants with chronic somatoform disorders.


METHODS
In a 6-week randomized, prospective, controlled trial, we treated a sample of 128 Turkish patients: 64 were randomly assigned to BE and 64 participated in gymnastic exercises in lieu of BE. The Symptom Checklist (SCL-90-R) and State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI) were employed.


RESULTS
According to the intent-to-treat principle, the bioenergetic analysis group achieved significantly better treatment results on most of the SCL-90-R and STAXI scales.


CONCLUSIONS
BE appears to improve symptoms of somatization, social insecurity, depressiveness, anxiety, and hostility in the inpatient therapy of subjects with chronic somatoform disorders. Reduction of the anger level and reduction in directing anger inwards, with a simultaneous increase of spontaneous outward emotional expression, could be expected.
Nickel
Marius
M
Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine, Inntalklinik, Simbach/Inn, Germany. m.nickel@inntalklinik.de
Cangoez
Birsen
B
Bachler
Egon
E
Muehlbacher
Moritz
M
Lojewski
Nilufer
N
Mueller-Rabe
Neila
N
Mitterlehner
Ferdinand O
FO
Leiberich
Peter
P
Rother
Nadine
N
Buschmann
Wiebke
W
Kettler
Christian
C
Pedrosa Gil
Francisco
F
Lahmann
Claas
C
Egger
Christoph
C
Fartacek
Reinhold
R
Rother
Wolfhardt K
WK
Loew
Thomas H
TH
Nickel
Cerstin
C
D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000379:methods; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology