In the last six months Shelly has visited her physician 10 times to complain of numerous physical symptoms.The physician has been unable to find a physical cause for her symptoms.What category of psychological disorders is the physician likely to suspect Shelly exhibits?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Shelly's physical symptoms without a physical cause suggest the possibility of a somatoform disorder, in which a person experiences physical symptoms that are not fully explained by a medical condition but have a psychological origin. Anxiety and dissociative disorders may also involve physical symptoms, but these would need to be differentiated by further assessment. Psychophysiological disorders typically involve a clear link between psychological and physical factors, which does not appear to be the case in this scenario.

In the Last Six Months Shelly Has Visited Her Physician