Personality Traits and Dysfunctional Attitudes among Patients with Somatic Symptom Disorder in Pakistan

Abstract

Somatic symptom disorder was previously known as somatization disorder, is the combination of medically unexplained bodily symptoms with psychological anxieties and health-seeking behavior. It occurs in 10% to 15% people in OPD. The objective was to investigate the relationship between personality traits and dysfunctional attitudes among somatic symptom disorder patients (SSD) and differences in personality traits of somatic symptom disorder patients and normal individuals. A total sample (N= 140) of seventy diagnosed patients (n = 70) of somatic symptom disorder and seventy (n= 70) normal individual were taken. Dysfunctional attitudes were measured by short form of Dysfunctional Attitude scale (DAS) developed by Beck, Brown, Steer and Weissman, (1991), whereas personality traits were measured by NEO-personality inventory developed by Costa and McCrae (1985).Neuroticism personality trait was positively correlated with dysfunctional attitudes whereas Conscientiousness, openness, extroversion and agreeableness were negatively correlated with dysfunctional attitudes among somatic symptom disorder. There were significant differences in personality traits of patients with somatic symptom disorder and normal individuals. Personality traits are associated with dysfunctional attitudes among patients with somatic symptom disorder and personality traits of somatic symptom disorder patients are different from normal individuals.