A cognitive behavioural group treatment for somatic symptom disorder: a pilot study
Abstract Background Somatic symptom disorder (SSD) presents challenges to the healthcare system, including frequent medical visits, lack of symptom relief experienced by individuals with this condition, high associated medical costs, and patient dissatisfaction. This study examined the utility of a...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05141-9 |
| _version_ | 1797414308281319424 |
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| author | Katherine Jongsma Bri Susanna Darboh Sasha Davis Emily MacKillop |
| author_facet | Katherine Jongsma Bri Susanna Darboh Sasha Davis Emily MacKillop |
| author_sort | Katherine Jongsma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Somatic symptom disorder (SSD) presents challenges to the healthcare system, including frequent medical visits, lack of symptom relief experienced by individuals with this condition, high associated medical costs, and patient dissatisfaction. This study examined the utility of a novel, low-barrier, brief cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) group intervention for individuals with SSD. Methods Participants were referred by their mental health providers or self-referral. Each participant underwent a telephone screen and in-person psychological and neuropsychological screen. Two cycles of the CBT-based group (n = 30), each consisting of six weekly two-hour sessions, were facilitated at a large outpatient mental healthcare facility in Ontario, Canada. The final sample consisted of 13 individuals of whom 11 completed the treatment. Clinical outcome measures were administered pre-, mid- and post-group, including the Generalized Anxiety Disorder–7, Perceived Stress Scale–4, Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, Pain Disability Index, Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire, and sections of the Patient Health Questionnaire. Six healthcare utilization metrics were collected from electronic medical records at six months pre- and post-group. Paired samples t-tests were used to examine pre- to post-group differences in participants’ somatic symptoms, psychological functioning, health, and degree of healthcare utilization. Results When comparing pre- and post- group, we observed reductions in the mean scores for somatic symptom severity, depressive symptomatology, anxiety, perceived stress, and perceived disability related to pain. The change in depressive symptomatology yielded a small effect size (d = 0.30). Further, we observed downward trends across participants’ pre- to post-group healthcare utilization, with small effect sizes observed for hospital admission (d = 0.36), days admitted to hospital (d = 0.47), and inpatient consults (d = 0.42). Differences between pre- and post-group measures of somatic symptom severity, psychological functioning, health, or healthcare utilization did not reach significance. Conclusions Current findings provide support for the potential effectiveness of an abbreviated CBT group for individuals with SSD in reducing psychiatric symptomatology. Further research is recommended, including randomized control trials, cost-benefit analyses, and comparisons between abbreviated versus longer-duration treatment programs for SSD. Trial registration Not applicable. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:30:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0f7a69acf9ef4fbe8ee098b707f516a3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:30:56Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-0f7a69acf9ef4fbe8ee098b707f516a32023-12-03T12:32:09ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2023-11-0123111110.1186/s12888-023-05141-9A cognitive behavioural group treatment for somatic symptom disorder: a pilot studyKatherine Jongsma0Bri Susanna Darboh1Sasha Davis2Emily MacKillop3Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster UniversityAbstract Background Somatic symptom disorder (SSD) presents challenges to the healthcare system, including frequent medical visits, lack of symptom relief experienced by individuals with this condition, high associated medical costs, and patient dissatisfaction. This study examined the utility of a novel, low-barrier, brief cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) group intervention for individuals with SSD. Methods Participants were referred by their mental health providers or self-referral. Each participant underwent a telephone screen and in-person psychological and neuropsychological screen. Two cycles of the CBT-based group (n = 30), each consisting of six weekly two-hour sessions, were facilitated at a large outpatient mental healthcare facility in Ontario, Canada. The final sample consisted of 13 individuals of whom 11 completed the treatment. Clinical outcome measures were administered pre-, mid- and post-group, including the Generalized Anxiety Disorder–7, Perceived Stress Scale–4, Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, Pain Disability Index, Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire, and sections of the Patient Health Questionnaire. Six healthcare utilization metrics were collected from electronic medical records at six months pre- and post-group. Paired samples t-tests were used to examine pre- to post-group differences in participants’ somatic symptoms, psychological functioning, health, and degree of healthcare utilization. Results When comparing pre- and post- group, we observed reductions in the mean scores for somatic symptom severity, depressive symptomatology, anxiety, perceived stress, and perceived disability related to pain. The change in depressive symptomatology yielded a small effect size (d = 0.30). Further, we observed downward trends across participants’ pre- to post-group healthcare utilization, with small effect sizes observed for hospital admission (d = 0.36), days admitted to hospital (d = 0.47), and inpatient consults (d = 0.42). Differences between pre- and post-group measures of somatic symptom severity, psychological functioning, health, or healthcare utilization did not reach significance. Conclusions Current findings provide support for the potential effectiveness of an abbreviated CBT group for individuals with SSD in reducing psychiatric symptomatology. Further research is recommended, including randomized control trials, cost-benefit analyses, and comparisons between abbreviated versus longer-duration treatment programs for SSD. Trial registration Not applicable.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05141-9Somatic symptom disorderSomatizationSomatoform disorderMedically unexplained symptomsPainGroup cognitive behavioural therapy |
| spellingShingle | Katherine Jongsma Bri Susanna Darboh Sasha Davis Emily MacKillop A cognitive behavioural group treatment for somatic symptom disorder: a pilot study BMC Psychiatry Somatic symptom disorder Somatization Somatoform disorder Medically unexplained symptoms Pain Group cognitive behavioural therapy |
| title | A cognitive behavioural group treatment for somatic symptom disorder: a pilot study |
| title_full | A cognitive behavioural group treatment for somatic symptom disorder: a pilot study |
| title_fullStr | A cognitive behavioural group treatment for somatic symptom disorder: a pilot study |
| title_full_unstemmed | A cognitive behavioural group treatment for somatic symptom disorder: a pilot study |
| title_short | A cognitive behavioural group treatment for somatic symptom disorder: a pilot study |
| title_sort | cognitive behavioural group treatment for somatic symptom disorder a pilot study |
| topic | Somatic symptom disorder Somatization Somatoform disorder Medically unexplained symptoms Pain Group cognitive behavioural therapy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05141-9 |
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