Somatic symptom disorder is characterized by which finding?

Somatic symptom disorder is characterized by which finding?

• A. Pain in multiple organ systems with negative workup
• B. Preoccupation with illness despite negative tests
• C. Deliberate production of symptoms for external gain
• D. Faking illness to avoid responsibilities

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that somatic symptom disorder centers on real, distressing somatic symptoms that drive excessive worry and behavior about the symptoms, even when medical tests are unrevealing. Pain across multiple organ systems with negative workups exemplifies this pattern: the patient experiences persistent physical symptoms that cause substantial distress and impairment, and yet there isn’t an identifiable medical cause to explain all of them. The focus is not on proving a fake illness, but on how the symptoms and the person’s response to them are disproportionate to any medical finding. Other options reflect different issues. Deliberate production of symptoms for external gain points to malingering or factitious disorder, where there is intentional deception. Faking illness to avoid responsibilities also aligns with malingering. Preoccupation with illness despite negative tests can describe illness anxiety disorder when somatic symptoms are minimal or absent; in somatic symptom disorder, the symptoms themselves are present and cause significant distress, with excessive thoughts or behaviors about them.

The main idea is that somatic symptom disorder centers on real, distressing somatic symptoms that drive excessive worry and behavior about the symptoms, even when medical tests are unrevealing. Pain across multiple organ systems with negative workups exemplifies this pattern: the patient experiences persistent physical symptoms that cause substantial distress and impairment, and yet there isn’t an identifiable medical cause to explain all of them. The focus is not on proving a fake illness, but on how the symptoms and the person’s response to them are disproportionate to any medical finding.

Other options reflect different issues. Deliberate production of symptoms for external gain points to malingering or factitious disorder, where there is intentional deception. Faking illness to avoid responsibilities also aligns with malingering. Preoccupation with illness despite negative tests can describe illness anxiety disorder when somatic symptoms are minimal or absent; in somatic symptom disorder, the symptoms themselves are present and cause significant distress, with excessive thoughts or behaviors about them.