Psychology on Persistent Somatic Symptoms
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Questions and Answers

Which enzyme deficiency was studied in the experiment?

  • Amylase Deficiency
  • Lactase Deficiency
  • Thiamine Acetylase Deficiency (correct)
  • Lipase Deficiency

    • What symptom was NOT associated with the illness schema given in the experiment?

  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea (correct)
  • Back pain
  • Headache

    • What effect did a 'positive' test result for TAA deficiency have on participants?

  • They reported no change in symptoms.
  • They felt increased relief from symptoms.
  • They experienced significantly more symptoms. (correct)
  • They experienced fewer symptoms.

    • Which factor contributes to symptom reporting in individuals with high negative affect?

    <p>Increased symptom awareness and memory bias</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a reason for the link between distress and physical symptoms?

    <p>Increased risk of infectious diseases</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the Gate Control Theory propose about the experience of pain?

    <p>A 'gate' can open or shut in the spinal cord affecting pain perception.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a component of perception in relation to pain?

    <p>Neurological</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does negative emotion influence the experience of pain according to the content?

    <p>It can lead to decreased pain tolerance.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What impact do beliefs about pain have on the pain experience?

    <p>Positive beliefs can decrease the pain sensation perceived.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does modulation play in relation to pain perception?

    <p>It can be both excitatory and inhibitory.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the study involving blood pressure machines, how did the groups differ in pain tolerance?

    <p>The positive group could tolerate pain for significantly longer periods.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does an open gate in the Gate Control Theory signify?

    <p>Pain signals flood through and are fully experienced.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement best describes acute pain?

    <p>It is often a temporary result of a specific injury or disease process.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the most common response people have to their everyday symptoms?

    <p>Self medicate</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of symptoms were found to be caused by organic illness over a year period?

    <p>10-15%</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the Competition of Cues Hypothesis, where does the natural state of attention focus?

    <p>Internally on body sensations</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the study involving participants running indoors versus outdoors, what was reported more by those on the indoor track?

    <p>More exercise symptoms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term used for the broad idea of what a particular illness involves, such as influenza?

    <p>Illness schema</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What factor can influence the likelihood of an individual reporting symptoms?

    <p>Attention and beliefs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What phenomenon occurs when individuals pay more attention to their bodies when they are focused internally?

    <p>Heightened awareness of symptoms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What might influence a person's symptom reporting through heightened attention to specific symptoms?

    <p>Schema-guided search process</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What best describes persistent somatic symptoms (PSS)?

    <p>Physical symptoms that are experienced and may have no identifiable disease.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a defining characteristic of conversion disorder?

    <p>Unconscious symptoms in response to underlying stress.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to studies on viral infections, what was found regarding people with biological evidence of infection?

    <p>75% did not report having any flu symptoms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can be inferred about the relationship between disease and symptoms?

    <p>Some diseases can be present without showing any symptoms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of people reportedly have at least one symptom every week?

    <p>About 90%.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What psychological and social aspects affect the perception of physical symptoms?

    <p>Cultural beliefs can shape how symptoms are experienced.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is early screening for diseases emphasized in the context of symptoms?

    <p>Many people may have diseases without realizing it.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What challenge is often faced regarding the nature of physical symptoms?

    <p>Recognizing the psychological origins of symptoms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of nociceptors?

    <p>Respond to noxious stimuli and tissue damage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of nerve fibers are associated with sharp, localized pain?

    <p>A delta fibers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which stage of pain processing involves converting noxious stimuli into electrical signals?

    <p>Transduction</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Congenital analgesia leads to individuals often failing to recognize which of the following?

    <p>Pain from injuries or illnesses</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the definition of nociception?

    <p>The encoding of impending or actual tissue damage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterizes Somatic Symptom Disorder?

    <p>Excessive time and energy devoted to symptoms</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an essential requirement for the diagnosis of Somatic Symptom Disorder?

    <p>Presence of symptoms for 6 months or more</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following terms describes difficulty in identifying feelings and linking them to physical symptoms?

    <p>Alexithymia</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is NOT a common outcome of undergoing excessive medical testing in Somatic Symptom Disorder?

    <p>Reduction in overall anxiety about health</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement accurately describes the nature of symptoms in Somatic Symptom Disorder?

    <p>Symptoms can appear without any apparent underlying cause</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant challenge in treating Somatic Symptom Disorder?

    <p>Symptoms are wrongly attributed to the disease</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does acute pain play in the context of health?

    <p>It serves as a warning that something may be wrong</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Individuals with Congenital Analgesia are characterized by what?

    <p>Inability to experience physical pain</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Persistent Somatic Symptoms

    • Physical symptoms can be subjective ('in the body') or objective ('signs')
    • Symptoms may or may not be explained by a medical condition or pathology
    • Conversion disorder is an extreme case of PSS, where a person's body responds to stress by having unconscious symptoms.
    • An example is Holly Longford, who lost her ability to speak and walk suddenly after a netball collision.

    Case Study: Conversion Disorder

    • Conversion disorder: Body's response to underlying stress; a person's mind exerts control over the body.
    • Holly Longford lost the ability to speak and walk after a netball collision.
    • Her tests were negative for any physical explanations.

    Biomedical Model of Illness

    • Underlying disease/pathology causes illness + symptoms
    • Symptoms indicate the presence of a disease
    • Sometimes symptoms occur without a diagnosable disease

    Disease vs Symptoms

    • Symptoms occur more frequently than diseases.
    • 90% of people experience at least one symptom each week.
    • Psychological and social factors influence how people perceive symptoms.

    Common Symptoms and Diseases

    • Zika virus (80% report symptoms)
    • Covid (80% contract, 90% asymptomatic)
    • Human Papillomavirus (HPV) (80% contract 90% asymptomatic)
    • Genital Herpes (25% US adults, 75-90% asymptomatic)
    • High blood pressure/cholesterol
    • Early-stage cancers

    Responding to Everyday Symptoms

    • Self-medication
    • Asking others or using online search engines
    • Rest
    • Seeking medical help

    Most Symptoms Are Unexplained

    • A study found that around half of all doctor visits are due to 14 common symptoms.
    • Only 10-15% of those with symptoms have a demonstrable organic cause.

    Psychological Influences on Reporting Symptoms

    • Attention
    • Emotions
    • Beliefs/expectations

    Attention to Internal Sensations

    • Attention is often drawn towards internal sensations when experiencing negative affect, which makes a person more likely to notice physical symptoms
    • Symptoms of diseases are amplified in people focusing on them. -Example: people experience symptoms more while studying for exams, or listening to boring lectures than when enjoying recreational activities.

    Somatic Symptom Disorder

    • Excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors related to somatic symptoms.
    • Disproportionate concern over the seriousness of symptoms.
    • Persistent anxiety about symptoms.

    Pain

    • Distinct physical symptoms, persisting after biological healing, causes or potential tissue damage.
    • Life with pain:
      • Some individuals do not experience pain.
      • Pain (especially acute) signals potential or actual tissue damage, alerting the individual of a need for a lifestyle change.

    Genetic Mutations

    • Some genetic mutations result in neurons not sending pain signals, resulting in the individual not experiencing pain.

    Pain Processing

    • Nervous system process of encoding impending or actual tissue damage leading to the physical sensation of pain.
    • The subjective experience of actual or impending harm.

    Pain Stages

    • Transduction
    • Transmission
    • Perception
    • Modulation

    Transduction

    • Starts at nerve endings (nociceptors) - tissue damage and inflammation initiates the pain signal process.
    • Two main fiber types transmit the pain signals: C and A-delta fibres - a larger and myelinated fibre (A-delta) transmits fast, sharp pain signals quickly, while a smaller unmyelinated C fibre transmits slow, dull pain signals more gradually.

    Transmission

    • Nociceptors send signals through the spinal cord to the brainstem.
    • The brainstem distributes the signal across the brain (limbic forebrain= emotional response, Primary Sensory Cortex: location of pain, and Cortical Association Areas= Interpretation of pain).

    Perception

    • Conscious awareness of all dimensions of pain stimuli
    • Biological, emotional, social, mental, and behavioural factors combine to create the complete pain experience.

    Modulation

    • Extra step in biopsychosocial view.
    • Involves psychological factors affecting biological ones.
    • Can be excitatory (increase pain) or inhibitory (reduce pain).

    Biological Processes of Pain

    • Peripheral Sensitization (Acute Pain) - Nociceptors have a reduced threshold, leading to an amplified pain response following injury or tissue damage; this may occur through inflammation.
    • Central Sensitization (Chronic Pain) - Increase in pain thresholds and amplification of pain signals
    • Cortical Reorganization (Chronic Pain) - Changes in the somatosensory cortex as a response to repeated pain signals from chronic injury or disease.

    Treating Chronic Pain

    • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can help.
    • Education on processes involved in pain, helping to effectively manage emotions.
    • Restructuring unhelpful thoughts about pain can reduce pain intensity.

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    Related Documents

    Persistent Somatic Symptoms PDF

    Description

    Explore the intriguing concepts of persistent somatic symptoms and conversion disorder in this quiz. Learn how the mind and body interact, particularly in cases where symptoms persist without medical explanation. Delve into the case study of Holly Longford, which exemplifies the complexities of these conditions.

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