A Study of the Effectiveness of Two Group Behavioral Medicine Interventions for Patients with Psychosomatic Complaints

Authors
Caroline J.C. Hellman, Ph.D., Matthew Budd, M.D., Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., David C. McLelland, Ph.D., Herbert Benson, M.D.
Publication
Behavioral Medicine
Volume 16, 1990 - Issue 4
Abstract

This randomized, prospective study investigated the effectiveness of two group behavioral medicine interventions for primary care patients experiencing physical symptoms with a psychosocial component (eg, palpitations, gastrointestinal disturbances, headaches, malaise, sleep disorders). The subjects were 80 volunteers at a health maintenance organization (HMO) in the greater Boston area. Both interventions focused on the mind/body relationship and used didactic material, relaxation-response training, awareness training, and cognitive restructuring. The two behavioral medicine intervention groups were compared with a group that focused exclusively on information about stress management and its relation to illness. Measures of visits to the HMO and of distress from physical and psychological symptoms were obtained before the interventions and again 6 months afterward. At the 6-month follow-up, patients in the behavioral medicine groups showed significantly greater reductions in visits to the HMO and in discomfort from physical and psychological symptoms than did the patients in the information group. The results suggest that when the relationship among thoughts and behaviors and symptoms of patients with psychosomatic dysfunction is actively addressed, the patients’ discomfort level and the cost of medical care can be reduced.

Related Listings
An Inventory of Positive Psychological Attitude...
Authors
Jared D. Kass, Ph.D., Richard Friedman, Ph.D., Jane Leserman, Ph.D., Margaret Caudill, M.D., Ph.D., Patricia C. Zuttermeister, M.A., Herbert Benson, M.D.
Journal
Behavioral Medicine
·
This article describes the validation of an Inventory of Positive Psychological Attitudes that has potential relevance to health outcomes and its preliminary testing with chronic pain patients. The inventory taps two attitudinal domains: (1) life purpose and satisfaction and (2) self-confidence during potentially stressful situations. It also provides a total score. The inventory scales, developed using factor analysis, were found to have a strong degree of internal reliability and co […]
Daily Relaxation Response Breaks in a Working P...
Authors
Ruanne K. Peters, Herbert Benson, Douglas Porter
Journal
Am. J. Public Health
·
An experiment conducted at the corporate offices of a manufacturing firm investigated the effects of daily relaxation breaks on five self-reported measures of health, performance, and well-being. For 12 weeks, 126 volunteers filled out daily records and reported bi-weekly for additional measurements. After four weeks of baseline monitoring, they were divided randomly into three groups: Group A was taught a technique for producing the relaxation response; Group B was instructed to sit […]
The relaxation response and hypnosis
Authors
Herbert Benson, Patricia A. Arns, John W. Hoffman
Journal
The International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis
Procedures for self- and hetero-hypnotic induction and for the elicitation of the relaxation response appear to be similar. Further, before experiencing hypnotic phenomena, either during a traditional or an active induction, a physiological state exists which is comparable to the relaxation response. This state is characterized, in part, by decreased heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure. After the physiological changes of the relaxation response occur, the individual proce […]