Group Analysis in Patients with Somatoform Disorders: Clinical Effectiveness, the Dynamics of Quality of Life and Attitude Towards Disease and Treatment

Background: the application of group analysis for the treatment of somatoform disorders requires the substantiation of its clinical and psychological effectiveness in various differential diagnostic groups. Aim: the investigation of the dynamics of pathological bodily sensations, concomitant psychopathological symptoms, quality of life as well as beliefs about the disease and treatment in patients with somatoform disorders undergoing group analysis, in comparison with patients in the psychoeducation program. Patients and methods: 100 patients with somatoform disorders were randomized to group-analysis or psychoeducation. Before and after treatment, they filled Screening for Somatoform Symptoms, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Illness Perception Questionnairie revised, Cognitions about Body and Health Questionnaire, Scale for the Assessment of Illness Behaviour, and Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnairie-18. Results: all patients demonstrated a decrease in the severity of somatoform symptoms and an improvement in the quality of life in various spheres of life, which is significantly more pronounced in patients receiving group-analysis compared to psychoeducation. The improvement of subjective state of patients having undergone psychotherapy during treatment was highly associated with a decrease in the severity of the emotional reaction to the disease, somatosensory amplification, beliefs in bodily weakness and intolerance to bodily sensations. The patients of the main group solely demonstrated a decrease in patterns of hypochondriacal behavior such as catastrophization regarding bodily sensations, revisiting general practitioners, and simultaneous distrust of the results of medical tests and prescriptions. When comparatively analyzing the separate diagnostic groups, patients with polymorphic somatoform disorder displayed the most pronounced clinical effect (a decrease in the severity of complaints) in the process of group analysis, and patients with somatized disorder showed the most pronounced psychological effect (an improvement in the quality of life, a decrease in the dramatization of bodily sensations, a decrease in medical retesting and diagnosis verification, the optimization of beliefs about health). Conclusions: group analysis demonstrated greater clinical and psychological effectiveness, in comparison with psychoeducation, in patients with somatoform disorders. © 2022