Effects of Stressful Life Events on Somatoform and Dissociative Disorders

Life Events and Somatoform Disorders

Presumptive Stressful Life Events Scale (PSLES) was administered to 69 physically ill, 23 patients with somatoform disorders and 45 patients with psychiatric disorders other than somatoform disorders who sought medical help in primary health care settings. The 137 patients were cluster analysed in orderto obtain the patterns of distribution of 39 life events. Five clusters emerged. All the pati...

Dissociative and Somatoform Disorders

Transcultural aspects of dissociative and somatoform disorders.

A brief review of the cross-cultural literature on dissociative and somatoform disorders with emphasis on US Hispanic populations has been provided. A brief description of the psychopathology of somatizing syndromes has been given as have some critiques of current nosologic systems. Cultural influences that may color the expression of somatic manifestations have been outlined. Although it is of...

Somatoform Dissociation: Major Symptoms of Dissociative Disorders

In most of the recent scientific and clinical literature, dissociation has been equated with dissociative amnesia, depersonalization, derealization, and fragmentation of identity. However, according to Pierre Janet and several World War I psychiatrists, dissociation also pertains to a lack of integration of somatoform components of experience, reactions, and functions. Some clinical observation...

Childhood Stressful Life Events and Bipolar Spectrum Disorders

In a cross–sectional study, we investigated the association of reported childhood stressful life events and bipolar spectrum disorders in an undergraduate sample. Specifically, we tested the harsh environment and stress generation explanations of the childhood stress and bipolar disorder relationship. The final sample included 155 bipolar spectrum participants and 155 demographically matched no...