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  • Title: Short-term psychotherapeutic interventions for somatizing patients in the general hospital: a randomized controlled study.
    Author: Schweickhardt A, Larisch A, Wirsching M, Fritzsche K.
    Journal: Psychother Psychosom; 2007; 76(6):339-46. PubMed ID: 17917469.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: Treatment acceptance and motivation for psychotherapy of somatizing patients in the general hospital is low. METHODS: Patients (n = 91) fulfilling the criteria for somatization were randomized into an intervention group (n = 49) and a control group (n = 42). The patients in the intervention group attended 5 psychotherapeutic sessions based on the modified reattribution model. The patients in the control group received psychoeducational reading material. The primary outcomes were motivation for psychotherapy and contacting a psychotherapist after discharge. The secondary outcomes consisted of changes regarding somatoform symptoms, emotional distress and quality of life. RESULTS: Patients from the intervention group were significantly more motivated for psychotherapy (p = 0.001) than patients from the control group. At the 3-month follow-up, 42% of the patients from the intervention group had contacted a psychotherapist, compared to 20% of the patients from the control group (p = 0.045). At the 6-month follow-up, however, the ratio of patients having contacted a psychotherapist had changed to 44 and 29%, respectively, and was no longer significant. The intensity of somatoform symptoms and the anxiety symptoms decreased and mental functioning improved significantly over time for patients from both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term psychotherapeutic interventions for somatizing patients in general hospitals have a moderately better effect on motivation for psychotherapy and contacting a psychotherapist than psychoeducational reading material alone. Future studies should attempt to prove the effectiveness of short-term psychoeducational interventions for somatizing patients in the general hospital.
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