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Psychological Factors Affecting Medical Condition: A New Proposal for DSM-V

From The Dept. of Psychology, Univ. of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. Send correspondence and reprint requests to G.A. Fava, M.D., Dept. of Psychology, Univ. of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 5, 40127 Bologna, Italy. e-mail: giovanniandrea.fava{at}unibo.it

The DSM category of "psychological factors affecting medical condition" had virtually no impact on clinical practice. However, several clinically relevant psychosomatic syndromes have been described in the literature: disease phobia, persistent somatization, conversion symptoms, illness denial, demoralization, and irritable mood. These syndromes, in addition to the DSM definition of hypochondriasis, can yield clinical specification in the category of "psychological factors affecting medical condition" and eliminate the need for the highly criticized DSM classification of somatoform disorders. This new classification is supported by a growing body of research evidence and is in line with psychosomatic medicine as a recognized subspecialty.

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