SSRD: Somatic Symptom & Related Disorders

Research Paper Title

Social Stigma Towards People with Medically Unexplained Symptoms: the Somatic Symptom Disorder.

Background

The majority of previous studies on mental health stigma have focused on medically explained symptoms and the studies on medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) have only assessed the consequences of internalised stigma.

A new category in DSM 5, named as somatic symptom disorder (SSD), includes multiple somatic disorders with medically-explained or -unexplained somatic symptoms.

This study aimed to test the effects of social stigma on people with SSD with MUS depending on the attribution model.

Methods

In a class environment, 348 college students from different regions in Turkey were presented with a vignette on a person with SSD with MUS and asked to complete a survey including demographics and attitudes towards that person.

Results

Along the same lines with previous findings for other mental disorders, the path analysis using AMOS revealed that stigma-related cognitions (i.e., dependency, dangerousness and responsibility) shaped people’s affective (i.e., anger and pity) and behavioural responses (i.e., social distance) to these people.

The most important predictor of social distance was pity and the level of contact was not related to social distance.

Conclusions

In conclusion, anti-stigma interventions towards SSD with MUS should involve building empathy towards these patients and educating people about this disorder contrary to the recommended interventions for other mental health disorders stressing the importance of contact.

Reference

Eger Aydogmus, M. (2020) Social Stigma Towards People with Medically Unexplained Symptoms: the Somatic Symptom Disorder.

Research Paper Title

Taking the Pain out of Somatisation: Development and Implementation of a Hospital-Based Clinical Practice Guideline to Address Paediatric Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders.

Background

The diagnostic category of somatic symptom and related disorders (SSRDs), although common, is often poorly recognized and suboptimally managed in inpatient pediatric care.

Little literature exists to address SSRDs in the inpatient paediatric setting.

The purpose of the study was to characterise current SSRD practice, identify problem areas in workflow, and develop a standardised approach to inpatient evaluation and management at a tertiary care academic children’s hospital.

Methods

A multidisciplinary group identified patients with SSRD admitted between May 2012 and October 2014.

A retrospective chart review on a convenience sample was performed to identify population characteristics and current practice.

Lean methodology was used to define current state practice and future state intervention.

These methods were used to guide identification of problem areas, which informed protocol, a clinical practice guideline, and resource development.

Results

Thirty-six patients aged 8 to 17 years met inclusion criteria for chart review.

Most patients presented with either neurological or pain-related complaints.

The mean length of stay was 5.44 days (SD = 6.3), with few patients receiving a mental health consultation within 24 hours of hospitalisation.

Patients averaged 5.8 medical and/or psychiatric diagnoses on discharge (SD = 5.2), and two-thirds did not have an SSRD diagnosis.

Half of patients had co-morbid psychiatric diagnoses, whereas one-quarter were discharged with no mental health follow-up.

Conclusions

In this study, the researchers describe the process and content development of a single-site institutional protocol, clinical practice guideline, and resources for the evaluation and management of paediatric SSRDs.

This study may serve as a model for similar standardisation of SSRD care in other inpatient paediatric medical settings.

Reference

Kullgren, K.A., Shefler, A., Malas, N., Monroe, K., Leber, S.M., Sroufe, N., El Sakr, A., Pomeranz, E., O’Brien, E. & Mychaliska, K.P. (2020) Taking the Pain out of Somatization: Development and Implementation of a Hospital-Based Clinical Practice Guideline to Address Pediatric Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders. Hospital Paediatrics. 10(2), pp.105-113. doi: 10.1542/hpeds.2019-0141. Epub 2020 Jan 2.