• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.277-285
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• 1996

Somatoform disorders do occur among children and adolescents. Among the seven disorders under the grouping of somatoform disorders of DSM-IV, three disorders, namely somatization disorder, pain disorder and conversion disorder are seen relatively more often than one can expect in childhood and adolescence. Pain disorders are more prevalent among children before adolescence, whereas conversion disorder and somatoform disorder are seen more often during adolescence and early adulthood. Diagnoses of somatofram disorders should not be made by the process of exclusion, but based on positive findings that positive evidence that normal functioning is possible and that a positive history of psychosocial stress and or intrapsychic conflict exists. Treatment strategy should be mindful of including collaboration with primary care health professionals and family therapy staff in addition to all the basic treatment modalities essential for the treatment of children and adolescents.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 1997

This study was conducted to identify the relationships between personality disorders/traits and somatoform disorders. After the patients were screened through self-rated SCID-II Questionnaire(Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R, Questionnaire), the researcher got psychiatric history, performed clinician-rated SCID-P(Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R, Patient Edition), classified and diagnosed mental disorders with SCID-P, and evaluated SCID-II(Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R, Personality Disorders) by direct interview. The prevalencies of avoidant, obsessive-compulsive, schizotypal, narcissistic, paranoid, dependent, self-defeating, borderline personality disorders/traits in patients with somatoform disorders were diagnosed as 67.4%, 48.8%, 44.2%, 41.9%, 37.2%, 34.9%, 34.9%, 32.6%, respectively. The frequencies of self-defeating and schizotypal PD/traits were significantly higher than those of other neurotic control group. The results of this study could be regarded as replicating the results of previous studies that had reported most of all patients with somatoform disorder had presented with personality disorders/traits. This study, however, showed that the patients with somatoform disorders accompanied not with any specific types of personality disorders/traits but with various types of personality disorders/traits, which was much different from the previous usual clinical impressions. Thus, it is necessary for clinicians to approach the patients with somatoform disorders through more flexible and more supportive methods and attitude, in order that they should treat them more effectively.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.332-339
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare depression, somatoform disorders, and quality of life among older adults. Methods: Samples of 280 community-dwelling Korean older adults were included. The age range of the participants was 60 to 90 years (average $72.6{\pm}6.4$). The participants were assigned to one of two groups based on reported scores on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index from September 2006 to March 2007. The two groups were designated as "poor sleepers"and "good sleepers". A T-test was used to compare depression, somatoform disorders and quality of life between the two groups. Results: Forty-six percent of participants reported scores that indicated they were poor sleepers. Poor sleepers reported significantly higher depression scores (p<.001), higher somatoform disorders scores (p<.001), lower for each SF-36 quality of life dimension, and lower mental and physical health summary scores (p<.001) than the reported scores of those participants who were classified as good sleepers. Conclusion: Older adults with poor sleep patterns are more likely to report higher depression, more somatoform disorders and a lower quality of life. Additional research is needed to identify the appropriate nursing interventions aimed at improving sleep quality, depression symptoms, somatoform disorders and the quality of life.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.185-194
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• 1997

A comparison was made regarding illness behavior among patients with somatoform disorders, depressive disorders and psychosomatic disorders. The subjects consisted of out-patients with somatoform disorders(N=52), depressive disorders(N=52) and psychosomatic disorders(N=51). illness behavior was assessed by illness Behavior Assessment Schedule and the questionnaire about help-seeking behavior. The patients with somatoform disorders and psychosomatic disorders more often affirmed the presence of somatic disease, were more likely to have phobia of disease, had more preoccupation with ideas of disease and more frequently shopped around oriental clinics than the patients with depressive disorders. The patients with somatoform disorders more often attributed its cause to physical factors, less often attributed the origin of affective disturbance to psychological causes, showed Less depression and irritability, and were less likely to accept psychiatric treatment recommended by other physicians than depressive patients. The patients with somatoform disorders were more likely to report having been told that they suffered from a mild illness than those with psychosomatic disorders. The patients with somatoform disorders with psychological problems tended to inhibit expression of their emotion. Female patients with somatoform disorders more often affirmed the presence of psychological disorder and attributed its cause to psychological factors than male ones. These results suggest that in illness behavior, patients with somatoform disorders are different from depressive patients, whereas the former patients are similar to psychosomatic patients except the discrepancy between therapists and patients regarding evaluation of their symptoms. Thus, it is emphasized that first, therapists need to approach patients with somatoform disorders somatically with understanding of their underlying need to deny psychological problems, followed by either psychological or biopsychosocial approach.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.79-86
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• 1999

A comprison was made regarding perceived family support among patients with somatoform disorders, psychosomatic disorders and depressive disorders. The subjects included 49 patients with somatoform disorders, 43 patients with psychosomatic disorders, and 50 patients with depressive disorders. Perceived social support-family scale was used to measure the extent of family support. The patients with somatoform disorders were significantly lower in family support than the patients with psychosomatic disorders. However, no significant differences were found between patients with somatoform disorders and those with depressive disorders, as well as between patients with psychosomatic disorders and those with depressive disorders. Patients with older age had significantly higher scores on family support than those with younger age. Married patients were significantly higher in family support than unmarried ones. These results suggest that low family support may be associated with either the etiology or the sequelae of somatization. Thus, it is emphasized that the role of family support is essential in evaluation and treatment of somatization. In addition, longitudinal studies will be required to investigate the causative role of low family support in somatization.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.254-261
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• 1996

Somatoform disorders are a group of syndromes in which patients focus on and complain of physical symptoms when there is no demonstrable underlying organic pathology or when complaints are in excess of what is expected. The author reviewed concept, sociocultural etiology, differential diagnosis and methods of evaluation of somatoform disorder. The symptoms of Korean culture-specific somatizing cluster, so called Wha-Byung, are discussed.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.199-207
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• 2008

1. Objectives Sasang Constitutional Medicine is Mind-Body medicine and it is based on difference of Nature & Emotion(性情) & real purpose(恒心). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of Hyangbujapalmul-tang for somatoform disorders and is to drive the importance of psychiatric approach home. 2. Method The subject is about 49-year-old Soeumin patient presumed by Undifferentiated somatoform disorder based on his nature & emotion, physical characteristics, symptoms, and we have prescribed Soeumin Hyangsayangyui-tang, Ceongunggyegi-tang, Hyangbujapalmul-tang. Soeumin Hyangsayangyui-tang was prescribed based on oridinary symptoms(素症), Soeumin Ceongunggyegi-tang was prescribed based on real symptoms(病症), Soeumin Hyangsayangyui-tang was prescribed based on Nature & Emotion(性情) & real purpose(恒心). 3. Result and conclusions In result, Hyangbujapalmul-tang based on Nature & Emotion(性情) & real purpose(恒心) showed best positive response. It is necessary to approach to somatoform disorders not only in clinical view but also in psychiatric view based on Nature & Emotion(性情) & real purpose(恒心)

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.97-106
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• 2006

Oriental Medicine Based Psychotherapy is consisted of 8 sessions which are available for various kinds of patients(mood disorders, somatoform disorders, anxiety disorders, Hwabyung, adjustment disorders etc.). Through 8 sessions, patients were educated on the relationship of mind and body which is the basic concept of oriental medicine and also received several training such as Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Autogenic Training, Breathing Training, Meditation, Qi-training. After these several training they get to think of their problems and inner conflict with people and get some insight about themselves and others, it can help handling their problems. This case report is about the patient with lots of somatic complains through the whole body, who got better after treatment by oriental medicine based psychotherapy added on herbal medicine and acupuncture.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.103-111
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• 2008

Background : It was not uncommon authors as psychiatrists faced women patients with somatoform disorders who expresses their symptoms has been started after the poor adherence to 'Doing the month' practices (DMP). DMP is known as a traditional ritual for Korean postpartum women. Aims : This study is an cultural approach to explore the practices of Korean women during the postpartum period are related with the formation of somatoform disorders. Methods : 41 multipara women with somatoform disorders diagnosed by DSM-IV criteria and 91 healthy normal control were enrolled. Subjects were given scales of SOM scale of SCL-90R, Somatic Symptom Scale-Korean version, Korean 'Doing the month' practices Scale(40 items), Postpartum Sick Scale(14 items), Beck Depression Scale and State Anxiety Scale. Results : 1) The period of DMP less than one week were prevalent in the patients group(43.9%) compared to the control group(7.9%, p<0.01). 2) The period of DMP after the abortions showed no difference between two groups. 3) Subjective rate for their poor DMP was significantly high in the patients group(73.2%) compared to the control group(33.0%), and the patients group showed high score in Postpartum Sick Scale as well(4.1, 1.6 respectively). 4) Poor DM was negatively correlated with SOM scale of SCL-90R(correlation coefficient r=-0.47, p<0.01). Conclusion : Poor DMP may make a crucial role for their heath condition after the deliveries and which would be one of the major factors of the somatoform disorders in Korean women. And postpartum physical symptoms after the poor DMP could be last long enough to be diagnosed as somatoform disorders. By understanding the cultural nature of the somatization phenomena the doctor-patient relationship could be enhanced.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.176-184
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• 1997

Abnormal illness behavior in patients with somatoform disorders were known formed by their traditional disease concepts and somatization-prone socio-cultural factors. The authors evaluated the characteristics of abnormal illness behavior in patients with somatoform disorders(who had somatization) by using abnormal illness behavior questionnaire. Methods : 29 somatoform disorders(SD) and 57 disease controls were compared by clinical characteristics, severity of pain, state anxiety(by Spielberger's State & Trait Anxiety Inventory), depression(by Beck's Depression Inventory) and level of psychosocial stess(by DSM-III-R). The illness behavior was measured by illness Behavior Questionnaire(IBQ). Results SD group had longer period of somatic symptoms with less severity in pain. The degree of anxiety and depression were higher in SB compared with controls. However, the degree of psychosocial stress was almost same between both groups. In IBQ, SD showed higher scores in general hypochondriasis, disease conviction, and affective disturbance subscales compared to control group. Conclusion: High disease conviction and hypochondriacal nature revealed by IBQ seemed to be a role in making somatization by way of somatic focusing and hypervigilance. And those tended to lead patients visit hospital frequently and report various somatic complaints. Evaluating abnormal illness behavior in somatoform disorders would be not only helpful in understanding the natures of somatoform disorders but also useful differentiating SD with other psychiatric conditions.