somatoform disorders, but they do not perceive themselves or strong presumption that psychological factors are the major Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR)Somatoform Disorders● (APA, 2000) Somatoform disorders are characterized by physical symptoms suggesting medical disease but without demonstrable organic pathology or a known pathophysiological mechanism to account for them. They are classifiment from psychiatrists. The American Psychiatric Association physiological processes are not deas having a psychiatric problem and thus do not seek treat-by existing laboratory procedures, and there is either evidence Ccause of the symptoms. It is now well documented that a large proportion of clients in general medical outpatient clinics and private medical offimedical treatment. It is likely that many of these clients have ing categories of somatoform disorders:BACKGROUND ASSESSMENT DATAHAPTER Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, ces do not have organic disease requiring^9 ed as mental disorders because patho-monstrable or understandable identifi es the follow-
2506_Ch09_176-190.indd Sec1:176 2506 Ch 09 176 - 190 .indd orders. Onset of the disorder is usually in adolescence or early adulthood and is more common in women than in men. The disorder usually runs a fl● mission and exacerbation.Pain DisorderThe essential feature of pain disorder is severe and prolonged pain that causes clinically signifiS^176 Somatization DisorderSomat izat ion disorder is a chronic sy ndrome of mult iple somat ic symptoms that cannot be explained medically and are associated with psychosocial distress and long-term seeking of assistance from health-care professionals. Symptoms can represent virtu-ally any organ system but commonly are expressed as neuro-logical, gastrointestinal, psychosexual, or cardiopulmonary dis-ec 1 SOMATOFORM DISORDERS: 176 uctuating course, with periods of re- cant distress or impairment in 1 10/1/10 9:35:16 AM 0 / 1 / 10 9 : 35 : 16 AM
