A model of people at high risk to develop chronic stress-related somatic symptoms: Some predictions.

Abstract

Certain measurable high-risk factors that predispose people to develop functionally based somatic disorders are identified. These risk factors compose a multidimensional model that encompasses variables involved in the predisposition, the precipitation, and the buffering of stress-related symptoms. These high-risk factors are (a) high or low hypnotic ability, (b) habitual catastrophizing cognitions and pessimistic belief systems, (c) autonomic lability or neuroticism, (d) multiple major life changes or multiple minor hassles over a short period of time, and (e) a deficit in support systems or coping skills or both."Sometimes it is more important to know what kind of patient has a disease than what kind of disease the patient has."-Sir William Osier (Straus, 1968, p. 3) This document is copyrighted by the American Psychological Association or one of its allied publishers.This article is intended solely for the personal use of the individual user and is not to be disseminated broadly.

Financial efficacy of clinical assessment: Rational guidelines and issues for future research

“…Considerable cost savings have been demonstrated when they are accurately diagnosed and referred for brief, targeted psychosocial interventions (Cummings, 1985(Cummings, , 1991). An assessment of such patients should ideally integrate client variables with treatment planning in such a way as to optimize treatment outcome (see Wickramasekera, 1995). Panic disorder patients are also problematic in that they account for 6% of all primary medical care visits and up to 89% are misdiagnosed for months or years (Freeman, 1991).…”

Across Cultural Boundaries: Psychophysiological Responses, Absorption, and Dissociation Comparison Between Brazilian Spiritists and Advanced Meditators

“…According to Wickramasekera (1986b;, incongruence between CNS and ANS response systems are not unusual among spiritual practitioners. It is taken for granted that some practitioners, especially claimant mediums and channelers, will demonstrate incongruence between their behavioral observations and verbal reports.…”

Client characteristics and psychotherapy: Perspectives, support, interactions, and implications for training

“…Various authors have extracted relevant client variables, including coping style, resistance level, social support (Beutler, Clarkin, & Bongar, 2000), the stage of readiness for change that characterises the client (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1984 and specific qualities such as hypnotisability, sympathetic reactivity (neuroticism), or coping ability (Wickramasekera, 1995). Various authors have extracted relevant client variables, including coping style, resistance level, social support (Beutler, Clarkin, & Bongar, 2000), the stage of readiness for change that characterises the client (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1984 and specific qualities such as hypnotisability, sympathetic reactivity (neuroticism), or coping ability (Wickramasekera, 1995).…”

“…have been subjected to empirical investigation. Various authors have extracted relevant client variables, including coping style, resistance level, social support (Beutler, Clarkin, & Bongar, 2000), the stage of readiness for change that characterises the client (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1984 and specific qualities such as hypnotisability, sympathetic reactivity (neuroticism), or coping ability (Wickramasekera, 1995). Based on preliminary studies (Beutler, Clarkin, & Bongar, 2000;Beutler, Moleiro, Malik, & Harwood, 2000), the fit between the client and the specific qualities of the intervention may double the accuracy of predicting treatment outcome beyond the contributions of the client, therapy procedures, and therapeutic relationship alone.…”