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KMID : 0607519940020010069
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Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
1994 Volume.2 No. 1 p.69 ~ p.79
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Alexithymia and Pressure Pain Threshold in Patients with Somatoform Disorder who have Pain
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Song Ji-Young
Kim Tae-Soo
Oh Dong-Jae
Yoon Doh-Joon
Yum Tae-Ho
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Abstract
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The authors investigated the relationship between the response to the external stimulation and ability of verbal behavior in the patients with somatoform disorder who have pain. The subjects consisted of 34 patients(male 10, female 24) and 37 normal controls(male 19, female 18). Pressure pain thesholds were measured by algometer and alexithymia was assessed by Toronto Alexithymia Scale(TAS). Somatization Scale of SCL-90R and Parental Bonding Instrument were also used. It was shown that 82.4% of the patients had chronic somatic complaints. The mean values of TAS, degree of somatic symptoms and pressure pain thresholds were significantly higher in the patient group than in the normal controls. 44.1% of the patients was considered alexithymia group and there was no correlation between scores of alexithymia and value of pressure pain thresholds. In conclusion, the patients with somatoform disorder who had pain were dull in pain perception to external physical stimulation. This result suggested that their low perception of pain could be closely related with chronicity of illness. And the Poverty of verbal expression of inner emotion was suggested to be one of the factors affecting somatization and difficulty in psychotherapy.
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KEYWORD
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Somatoform disorder, Pain, Alexithymia, Pressure pain threshold
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