A prevention programme for somatoform disorders is effective for affective disorders.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effectiveness of a psycho-educational programme for the primary prevention of somatoform disorders in healthy primary care patients.


METHODS
Randomized, controlled trial. Participants (N=104) were randomly assigned to: (1) a psycho-educational intervention, or (2) no intervention at all. The primary outcome measure was somatoform disorder psychiatric diagnosis at 5-year follow-up. Secondary outcome measures were hypochondriasis, locus of control and attribution of symptoms and psychological distress.


RESULTS
At 3 and 6 months, and 5 years, the intervention group significantly decreased hypochondriasis and somatic attributions; and increased psychological and normalizing attributions and internal locus of control. Five years after baseline, the prevalence of somatoform disorders showed no differences between both groups. Nevertheless, overall psychiatric morbidity was less prevalent in the intervention group (odds ratio: 2.72; 95%CI:1.10-6.72). In addition, a decrease in depression and anxiety subscales and in overall General Health Questionnaire scoring (p<.05) was found in the intervention group.


CONCLUSIONS
A primary prevention programme for somatization seems to be useful, not to decrease somatoform disorders, but to prevent anxiety and depressive disorders. The effects of overlapping psychobiological mechanisms are discussed.
García-Campayo
Javier
J
Department of Psychiatry, Miguel Servet University Hospital, University of Zaragoza, Spain. jgarcamp@arrakis.es
Arevalo
Elisa
E
Claraco
Luis Manuel
LM
Alda
Marta
M
Lopez del Hoyo
Yolanda
Y
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003376:Counseling; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006998:Hypochondriasis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011320:Primary Health Care; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D013030:Spain