Download Ch. 18 S. 4

Ch. 18 Section 4: Somatoform Disorders
Obj: Explain how the two somatoform disorders differ.
_____________________, which comes from the Greek word for “body,” refers to
the expression of psychological distress through physical symptoms. People with
somatoform disorders have psychological problems (such as ________________)
but experience inexplicable physical symptoms (such as _________________).
It is important to distinguish between ______________________ disorders and
malingering, or the conscious attempt to “fake” an illness in order to avoid work,
__________________, or other responsibilities. People with somatoform disorders
do not intentionally fake their illnesses. They honestly feel ____________ or
believe they cannot move their limbs.
Reliable _____________________ on the incidence of somatoform disorders are
not available. Many diagnoses of somatoform illness later prove to be incorrect
when patients are found to have medical illnesses that account for their
________________________. On the other hand, cases of somatoform disorders
may go undiagnosed because of the focus on ______________________, as
opposed to psychological, symptoms.
Types of Somatoform Disorders
The DSM-IV identifies _________ types of somatoform disorders. The two most
common are ________________________ disorders and hypochondriasis.
Conversion Disorder – People with conversion _________________ experience
a change in or loss of physical functioning in a major part of the body for which
there is no known __________________ explanation. For example, they may
suddenly develop the inability to see at night or to move their legs, even though no
medical explanation can be found for their sudden physical disability. These
behaviors are not, however, ____________________ produced. That is, the
person is not faking it.
Conversion disorder is further _______________________ because many people
who experience conversion disorder show little concern about their symptoms, no
matter how _______________ or unusual those symptoms may be. This lack of
concern about the symptoms may help in the ___________________ of
conversion disorder.
Hypochondriasis – Also called hyponchondria, hypochondriasis is defined as a
person’s ______________________ preoccupation with thoughts that he or she
has a serious ___________________. People with hyponchondriasis become
absorbed by minor physical symptoms and sensations, convinced that the
symptoms indicate a serious medical illness. These people maintain their
___________________ beliefs despite reassurances from doctors that there is
nothing physically wrong with them. Some people with hypochondriasis visit doctor
after doctor, seeking the one physician who will find the cause of their symptoms.
Explaining Somatoform Disorders
Explanations for somatoform disorders in general, and specifically conversion
disorder or hypochondriasis, are primarily psychological. According to
psychoanalytic theory, somatoform disorders occur when individuals
___________________ emotions associated with forbidden urges and instead
express them symbolically in physical symptoms. The physical symptoms thus
represent a compromise between the _______________________ need to
express feelings and the fear of actually ______________________ them.
More recently, other psychologists have argued that people with conversion
disorder “______________” psychological stress into actual medical problems.
For example, a fighter pilot may lose the ability to see at night as a response to the
great anxiety he feels about flying nighttime bombing missions. Another individual
may suffer paralysis of the legs after nearly being in a car accident.
Some behavioral theorists have suggested that somatoform symptoms can serve
as a reinforcer if they successfully allow a person to ________________ from
anxiety. There are also some indications that biological or ______________
factors may play a role in the development of somatoform disorders.