Importance of Psychotherapy motivation in patients with somatization syndrome

Abstract

Abstract Low motivation for psychotherapy presents a special challenge to effective therapy in patients with multiple somatoform symptoms. As part of a controlled treatment study, the authors examined the extent to which patients’ initial level of psychotherapy motivation has an effect on long-term treatment outcome. After admission to a cognitive–behavioral treatment center, 161 inpatients with somatization syndrome were diagnosed using a structured clinical interview and completed measures of somatoform symptomatology, general psychopathology, and motivation for psychotherapy. To test the relationship between motivation and treatment outcome, the patients’ initial motivational characteristics were related to 12-month follow-up changes in measures of somatoform symptomatology and psychological distress. Results show that a high acceptance of psychotherapy and more psychotherapeutic expectations of treatment have a positive influence on long-term treatment outcome. This finding emphasizes the importance o...