Measuring ICD-11 bodily distress disorder symptoms: The development and initial validation of the bodily distress...

Bodily Distress Disorder (BDD) is a newly introduced diagnosis in the International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11) that aims to capture the interplay between somatic symptoms and psychological distress. Existing diagnostic tools based on the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and the ICD-10 do not fully encompass BDD as defined in ICD-11, highlighting the need for a psychometrically robust assessment tool. To address this issue, the present study examines the psychometric properties of the newly constructed Bodily Distress Disorder Scale (BoDI) in continuously trauma exposed individuals. Data were collected from 3000 Israeli general population participants under conditions of collective trauma. The validation of the 10-item BoDI included factor analysis to test the BoDI's factor structure. In addition, tests of internal consistency, convergent, and discriminant validity were conducted to assess the psychometric properties of the scale. A two-factor structure was identified and showed excellent fit. The two factors - Persistent Preoccupation (cognitive-affective component) and Medical Reassurance-Seeking (behavioral component) showed adequate internal consistency. The BoDI exhibited high convergent validity with established measures of somatic symptoms and good discriminant validity, showing moderate correlations with measures of depression, anxiety, and adjustment disorder, and weaker associations with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD. These findings provide initial support for the BoDI as a psychometric tool for assessing BDD. While the findings highlight the potential of the BoDI in trauma-exposed general populations, its practical application in general populations with no collective trauma in the background remains to be explored. The present results provide a valuable foundation for future studies to evaluate its real-world utility in guiding assessment and intervention.