Question about the DSM

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

martinkaplan

Membership Revoked
Removed
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Hello,

The APA's DSM-IV-TR (p. 485) reads:


The common feature of the Somatoform Disorders is the presence of physical symptoms that suggest a general medical condition... and are not fully explained by a general medical condition....


Language less obfuscatory would be:


The common feature of the Somatoform Disorders is the presence of physical symptoms that suggest a general medical condition... but the treating physicians fail to explain them by a general medical condition....

In such cases where the patient's symptoms are due to a general medical condition, but the treating physicians fail to explain them as such; why should the physician's failure be projected onto the patient?