본 연구에서 신체화장애 환자들의 스트레스 대처방식 및 심리적 특성을 파악하여 다음과 같은 결과들을 얻었다. 신 체화장애 환자들은 정상인에 비해 간이정신진단검사의 소항목 중 신체화, 강박증, 우울, 불안, 정신병적 성향이 유의하게 높았다. 신체감각 증폭척도에 의한 평가에서는 신체감각에 대한 증폭 지각이 유의미하게 높았으며, 증상 해석 양상의 차이에서는 신체적 해석이 대조군에 비해 높은 것으로 나타났고 심리적 해석과 중립적 해석에서는 정상인과 차이가 없는 것으로 나타났다. 신체화 환자의 스트레스 대처방식은 대조군에 비해 모든 대처수준이 전반적으로 모두 낮게 나타났다. 신체화 환자에서 대처방식과 심리적인 변인들과의 상관관계에서는 소극적인 대처방식이 증상 해석 질문지의 심리적 해석의 하위 척도와 정적 상관 관계가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 이상의 결과는 신체화장애 환자의 치료에 있어서 동반된 정신 증상의 평가 및 조절, 신체감각에 대한 지각 및 해석에 대한 오류 교정, 스트레스 대처방식의 효율성 증진 등이 필요함을 시사된다.

Objectives：The purpose of this study was to investigate the stress coping strategies and psychological characteristics, such as combined psychopathology and tendency of symptom interpretation, in patients with somatization disorder. Methods：Thirty patients meeting the criteria of DSM-IV somatization disorder were compared with thirty controls. We evaluated the subjects using Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), Somato-Sensory Amplification Scale (SSAS), Symptom Interpretation Questionnaire (SIQ), and The Ways of Stress Coping Questionnaire (SCQ). Independent t-test and Pearson correlation analysis were used. Results：From the results of SCL-90-R subscales, the scores of somatization, obsession-compulsion, depression, anxiety, and psychoticism were significantly higher in patients with somatization disorder than normal controls. Somatization disorder patients had greater amplification of physical sensation in SSAS and significantly higher score in physical interpretation of SIQ compared with psychological or environmental interpretation. In the SCQ of somatization disorder patients, we observed generally lower levels of total coping scores than the control group and significant positive correlation between passive coping style of SCQ and psychological interpretation of SIQ. Conclusion：These results show that patients with somatization disorder have various psychopathology, greater amplification of physical sensation, physical interpretation tendency of symptoms, and insufficient copying strategy. (J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc 2006;45(6):534-540)

Objectives：The purpose of this study was to investigate the stress coping strategies and psychological characteristics, such as combined psychopathology and tendency of symptom interpretation, in patients with somatization disorder. Methods：Thirty patients meeting the criteria of DSM-IV somatization disorder were compared with thirty controls. We evaluated the subjects using Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), Somato-Sensory Amplification Scale (SSAS), Symptom Interpretation Questionnaire (SIQ), and The Ways of Stress Coping Questionnaire (SCQ). Independent t-test and Pearson correlation analysis were used. Results：From the results of SCL-90-R subscales, the scores of somatization, obsession-compulsion, depression, anxiety, and psychoticism were significantly higher in patients with somatization disorder than normal controls. Somatization disorder patients had greater amplification of physical sensation in SSAS and significantly higher score in physical interpretation of SIQ compared with psychological or environmental interpretation. In the SCQ of somatization disorder patients, we observed generally lower levels of total coping scores than the control group and significant positive correlation between passive coping style of SCQ and psychological interpretation of SIQ. Conclusion：These results show that patients with somatization disorder have various psychopathology, greater amplification of physical sensation, physical interpretation tendency of symptoms, and insufficient copying strategy. (J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc 2006;45(6):534-540)

Somatization disorder· Stres coping strategy· Psychopathology· Symptom interpretation.