Somatization as a syndrome and as a symptom: A review of somatization disorder

Abstract

 The term somatization is largely used in psychopathology as well as in the fields of clinical psychology and psychiatry. However, its meaning and diagnostic characterization are not clearly established. The aim of the present work has been to review the main relevant topics related to the somatization disorder. With this purpose we have analyzed, firstly, the different meanings adscribed to the term, including the following ones: the interpretation of somatization as an expression of psychological distress, the distinction between somatization and psychosomatic disorders, the study of the masked depression concept, and the illness behaviour construct. Secondly, we review the somatization disorder as a diagnostic category, with an emphasis on its evolution and nosological validity. Finally, some suggestions for future research on the somatization disorder are discussed, in order to achieve a more useful conceptualisation of the disorder.