Do women somatize more than men? Gender differences in somatization

Reviewing the literature of the latter half of the twentieth century, the authors consider the question: do women somatize more than men? The literature review begins with work done in the 1950s in order to look at the phenomenon of somatization as a constellation of symptoms. It encompasses work done in the general community and in the medical arena. The critique of the literature shows why the role of gender in somatizing remains unclear, elucidates inconsistencies, notes the confounding variables, and points out the degree of variable interaction and observer bias. Possible explanations or causes of gender differences are explored. In the present body of literature, women do somatize more than men; however, some of the studies in the literature are flawed. The changing gender difference in medical literature implies that the inquiry at hand concerns the etiology and expression of somatization itself.