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Somatization and conversion: distinct or overlapping constructs?

Graeme J Taylor1

  • 1University of Toronto. graeme.taylor@utoronto.ca

The Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry
|October 11, 2003
PubMed
Summary
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This review clarifies the distinction between somatization and conversion disorders. Understanding these concepts is crucial for diagnosing somatic symptom formation and guiding psychoanalytic therapy.

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Psychology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • The terms somatization and conversion are used to define diagnostic entities and pathological processes underlying somatic symptom formation.
  • Confusion exists regarding whether somatization and conversion are distinct or overlapping constructs and their role in organic versus medically unexplained symptoms.

Observation:

  • This article reviews the historical origins and evolution of the terms somatization and conversion over the past century.
  • It examines differing psychoanalytic views, including Stekel's concept of somatization as analogous to conversion and Freud's distinction between psychoneuroses and actual neuroses, with somatization viewed as physiological.

Findings:

  • Recent psychoanalytic approaches conceptualize somatization within modern emotional processing theories, integrating cognitive science and empirical research.

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  • The article aims to resolve confusion surrounding these terms and their application in clinical practice.

    • Implications:

    • Maintaining a clear conceptual distinction between somatization and conversion has significant implications for psychoanalytic therapy.
    • Accurate differentiation aids in understanding the pathogenesis of somatic symptoms and guiding treatment strategies.