Trauma prevalence and somatoform symptoms: are there specific somatoform symptoms related to traumatic experiences?

J Nerv Ment Dis. 2007 Nov;195(11):928-33. doi: 10.1097/NMD.0b013e3181594846.

Abstract

There is still insufficient knowledge on the subject of possibly specific patterns of somatoform symptoms related to sexual or nonsexual traumatizations. Using standardized questionnaires, a sample of 892 patients consecutively admitted to a psychotherapy outpatient clinic were evaluated for psychological symptoms in general, for somatoform symptoms and for history of traumatizations. Any severe lifetime trauma was reported in 67.8% of the total sample. Somatoform symptoms were notably more prevalent in traumatized patients when compared with nontraumatized patients. Descriptive data analysis revealed specific elevations of symptom frequencies for pseudoneurological symptoms and for symptoms associated with discomfort or dysfunction in sexual organs.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anxiety Disorders / diagnosis
  • Anxiety Disorders / epidemiology
  • Anxiety Disorders / psychology
  • Child Abuse, Sexual / psychology
  • Child Abuse, Sexual / statistics & numerical data
  • Comorbidity
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Depressive Disorder / diagnosis
  • Depressive Disorder / epidemiology
  • Depressive Disorder / psychology
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders / diagnosis
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders / epidemiology
  • Feeding and Eating Disorders / psychology
  • Female
  • Germany
  • Humans
  • Life Change Events*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Personality Assessment
  • Psychotherapy
  • Referral and Consultation
  • Sex Factors
  • Somatoform Disorders / diagnosis
  • Somatoform Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Somatoform Disorders / psychology
  • Statistics as Topic
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / diagnosis
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / epidemiology*
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology
  • Violence / psychology