A pilot study of a modified Balint group using cognitive approaches to physician attitudes about somatoform disorder...

This is a pilot study of the use of cognitive therapy theories and techniques in a time-limited Balint group of family physicians with a focus on the care of the somatoform disorders. Family physicians often find these patients difficult and unpleasant to treat. Physicians in the group were compared with other family physicians in a pre and post test of attitudes towards patients with somatoform disorders. In addition, the beliefs of the physicians were elicited. After the 13 session Balint group was completed, attitudes of the family physicians in the group improved so that they were less likely to feel that somatizing patients take up too much of their time (p less than 0.05). Underlying beliefs about somatoform disorder patients were identified in the group and subsequently modified. This study suggests that a time-limited cognitive therapy Balint group, focusing on somatoform disorder patients, results in improved attitudes toward the care of these patients.