Are patients with somatization disorder highly suggestible?

R. J. Brown; A. Schrag; E. Krishnamoorthy; M. R. Trimble

doi:10.1111/j.1600-0447.2007.01127.x

Are patients with somatization disorder highly suggestible?

R. J. Brown, A. Schrag, E. Krishnamoorthy, M. R. Trimble

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Objective: High suggestibility is widely regarded as an important feature of patients with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS), particularly those with multiple MUS [i.e. somatization disorder (SD)], although there are few empirical data attesting to this assumption. A study was therefore conducted to compare levels of non-hypnotic suggestibility in patients with SD and medical controls. Method: A modified version of the Barber Suggestibility Scale was administered to 19 patients with SD and 17 controls with an established organic dystonia. Results: Patients with SD were no more suggestible than control patients. Dystonia controls were more likely to deliberately comply with suggestions than the SD patients. Conclusion: Contrary to popular belief, high suggestibility is not necessarily a feature of SD. © 2007 The Authors.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	232-235
Number of pages	3
Journal	Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
Volume	117
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.2007.01127.x
Publication status	Published - Mar 2008

Keywords

Hypnosis
Medically unexplained symptoms
Somatization disorder
Somatoform disorders
Suggestibility

Access to Document

10.1111/j.1600-0447.2007.01127.x

Cite this

@article{2b6bf968bb904b378bb3999e5450dcfa,

title = "Are patients with somatization disorder highly suggestible?",

abstract = "Objective: High suggestibility is widely regarded as an important feature of patients with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS), particularly those with multiple MUS [i.e. somatization disorder (SD)], although there are few empirical data attesting to this assumption. A study was therefore conducted to compare levels of non-hypnotic suggestibility in patients with SD and medical controls. Method: A modified version of the Barber Suggestibility Scale was administered to 19 patients with SD and 17 controls with an established organic dystonia. Results: Patients with SD were no more suggestible than control patients. Dystonia controls were more likely to deliberately comply with suggestions than the SD patients. Conclusion: Contrary to popular belief, high suggestibility is not necessarily a feature of SD. {\textcopyright} 2007 The Authors.",

keywords = "Hypnosis, Medically unexplained symptoms, Somatization disorder, Somatoform disorders, Suggestibility",

author = "Brown, {R. J.} and A. Schrag and E. Krishnamoorthy and Trimble, {M. R.}",

year = "2008",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1111/j.1600-0447.2007.01127.x",

language = "English",

volume = "117",

pages = "232--235",

journal = "Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica",

issn = "1600-0447",