Mechanisms of conversion, somatoform and psychosomatic disorders in adulthood and childhood-adolescence

Abstract

Conversion, somatoform and psychosomatic disorders have been the subject of study for many years. If severe conversion disorders were common among patients in the 19th century, somatoform and psychosomatic disorders were more common in the 20th century. They have not lost their importance at present time. The combination of theoretical and clinical aspects gives the problematic a stable relevance, therefore these disorders lead to the need for interdisciplinary interaction, psychological and psychiatric counseling. The article briefly reviews fragments of the history of studying conversion and somatoform disorders, modern concepts of somatoform and psychosomatic disorders and their features in childhood and adolescence in comparison with the mechanisms of neurotic disorders, as well as the pathodynamics of somatoform disorders. The concepts of the emergence of somatoform and psychosomatic disorders are presented — macrosocial and microsocial, individual and family, psychoanalytic and psychodynamic, allowing to assess the breadth of the range of the raised problems. From the standpoint of the systemic approach, a parallel with neurotic disorders is drawn, the similarity of the mechanisms of their formation is emphasized, and the community of models of family relationships through “neurotic” and “somatic” symptoms is indicated. Identification of the features of somatoform disorders’ mechanisms in childhood and adolescence also brings a certain novelty and explains the increase in the group of “frequently ill children”. The combination of theoretical (psychological) and clinical (psychiatric) aspects is an important factor in the unification of the raised topic, which is initially interdisciplinary. The practical value lies in the analytical and didactic presentation of the material, which can be used by various specialists.