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Cited by 193Psychosomatic Disorders and Their TreatmentsAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesFibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research

Somatoform disorders as disorders of affect regulation

Waller, Elisabeth, Scheidt, Carl Eduard·2004·Journal of Psychosomatic Research
DOI 10.1016/s0022-3999(03)00613-5
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Abstract

Objective To determine the role of undifferentiated and dysregulated affects in somatoform disorders by using a multimethod assessment approach of alexithymia. Methods Forty patients with ICD-10 somatoform disorders (SoD) and 20 healthy controls, matched for age, education and sex, were included in the study. Alexithymia was assessed using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Affect Consciousness Interview (ACI), and the Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale (LEAS). All classifications were made blinded with regard to clinical status. Results Scores of the ACI and the TAS-20 showed that alexithymia is higher in SoD than in healthy controls. No differences were found on the LEAS. In terms of the multidimensionality of the alexithymia construct, our results indicate a specific positive association between SoD and a proneness to experience undifferentiated affects. The three subfactors of the TAS-20 were differentially related to non-self-report measures of alexithymia and to negative affectivity (NA). Only the cognitive facet of the TAS-20 (externally oriented thinking [EOT]) was related to the LEAS and the ACI. In contrast, the affective facets of the TAS-20-difficulties identifying feelings (DIF) and difficulties describing feelings (DDF)-were substantially related to NA. Conclusion The findings highlight the important role of impaired affect regulation and NA in the process of somatization.

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  • A lack of emotional awareness and an overuse of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies are considered basic psychological liabilities of Somatic Symptom Disorder.

    “This increase in emotion regulation is crucial in patients with somatic complaints as a lack of emotional awareness and an overuse of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies are considered basic psychological liabilities of Somatic Symptom Disorder (Waller and Scheidt, 2004; Garnefski et al., 2017; Okur Güney et al., 2019).”

    From Does the practice of mindfulness reduce somatic symptoms and COVID-19-related anxiety? A community-based survey (2022) · cites this paper as Waller and Scheidt, 2004

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Authors
Waller, E., & Scheidt, C. E.
Affiliations
University Medical Center Freiburg (DE)
Corresponding author
Waller, Elisabeth
Venue
Journal of Psychosomatic Research
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2004-09
Volume
57
Issue
3
Pages
239-247
ISSN
0022-3999 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/s0022-3999(03)00613-5
OpenAlex
W1764258630
Cited by
193
References
58
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 14
FWCI
2.88
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Journal of Psychosomatic Research (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • FreiDok plus (Universitätsbibliothek Freiburg) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research
Keywords
somatoform disorders, alexithymia, emotion regulation, negative affectivity, somatization, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale, externally oriented thinking
MeSH terms
Adult, Affect, Affective Symptoms, Awareness, Female, Humans, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Somatoform Disorders, Self Efficacy

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