title: The first step is the hardest - emotion recognition in patients with somatoform disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aetiology of somatoform disorders is assumed to consist of several factors, as alexithymia, dysfunctional cognitions and emotion regulation. As a consequence of somatoform disorders social withdrawal is discussed. Several studies prove connections between mental problems, emotion recognition, and functioning social relationships.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 35 patients suffering from a somatoform disorder and a sample of 73 persons without any somatoform symptoms were investigated according to their ability to identify emotional facial expressions (computer-assisted presentation of photos).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results demonstrate significant differences in the ability to decode others' emotional states between people with or without somatoform disorders. In all six tests the patients achieved significantly worse results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that psychotherapeutic treatment of patients with somatoform disorders should also focus on the recognition of emotions and deal with them.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Thomas Beck, Univ.-Klinik für Medizinische Psychologie, Schöpfstraße 23a, A-6020 Innsbruck, E-Mail: thomas.beck@uki.at.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: Margit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Breuss
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kumnig
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schüßler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D001364:Awareness; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D004644:Emotions; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012016:Reference Values; D012934:Social Isolation; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*