Somatoform disorders: 30 years of debate about criteria!

Somatic symptoms and psychological concerns in a general adolescent population: Exploring the relevance of DSM-5 somatic symptom disorder

“…This result is in concordance with studies in adult functional somatic syndromes showing that symptom-based strategies alone lead to higher prevalence rates, and might be too insensitive and unspecific to identify groups particularly at risk for functional impairment [28,29]. Previous conclusions regarding DSM-IV somatoform disorders in adolescents have also suggested that complementing data on somatic symptoms with information on distress leads to smaller affected groups, and would be a more appropriate measure for somatization risk in young people [1,5]. Overall, persistent distressing somatic symptoms were significantly more common among girls than among boys (71.3% vs. 28.7%).…”

“…Bodily complaints during adolescence have historically always been common among diverse youth populations [1,2], in pediatric settings [2,3], as well as in psychosomatic medicine [3,4], and child and adolescent psychiatry [4,5]. At present, there is increasing evidence that the presence of somatic symptoms, in combination with disproportionate concerns and feelings regarding these symptoms, are an important component of mental disorder [6].…”

Health Anxiety in Preadolescence - Associated Health Problems, Healthcare Expenditure, and Continuity in Childhood

“…The literature often describes HA as uncommon in children (Schulte and Petermann 2011) with onset primarily in adulthood (American Psychiatric Association 2000). The prevalence of hypochondriasis in younger age groups has been studied in very few studies which have found that none or only a few children and adolescents meet the diagnostic criteria for the disorder (Bisht et al 2008;Essau 2007;Lieb et al 2000).…”

Estado actual de los trastornos somatomorfos y conversivos en niños y adolescentes

“…Por otra parte, un estudio francés verificó que los principales motivos de consulta en un servicio de emergencias psiquiátricas fueron los trastornos neuróticos y somatomorfos 6 , hecho corroborado para la población general británica, donde los desórdenes mentales más prevalentes en 2010 fueron los del espectro somatomorfo, ansioso y afectivo 7 , por lo que el gasto público y privado en salud es prominente 5 , al asociarse a consultas reiteradas a múltiples especialistas, encontrándo-se mayoritariamente hallazgos negativos 8 . Adicionalmente, los criterios diagnósticos son aún controversiales en su aplicación infantojuvenil 9 , considerando además una falta de instrumentos evaluativos confiables y válidos y el poco consenso en relación a su manejo 10 . Cabe precisar que la intercurrencia de desórdenes anímicos y ansiosos es alta, incluyéndose como factores de riesgo: mayor sensibilidad al estrés, vulnerabilidad biológica, trastornos mentales familiares, sobreprotección parental y una mentalización limitada de los sín-tomas físicos 1 .…”