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A significant proportion of the patients referred to health services are people who have some psychosocial problems. Many of these patients can not explain their problem obviously and prefer to express them as nonspecific somatic and bodily symptoms; although there are no definite clinical and laboratory findings about any specific medical disease. This phenomenon named "somatization". Recurrent visits of these cases in outpatient clinics or hospitals and the vicious cycle of unnecessary investigations that reinforce "sick role" and somatic complaints, cause many problems for the patients, as well as the physicians and health services. 

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Abstract Aim and Background: Psychological interventions can have a decreasing effect on the symptoms of patients with somatoform disorders, via improving psychological, social and familial status of the patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM) on anxiety, depression and stress in female with somatoform vertigo. Methods and Materials: This was a case-control research with pre test, post test and follow up.   That was conducted in2011 in laboratory of psychology at the Isfahan university. The sample was consisted of 28 patients with somatoform vertigo, according to the diagnosis of neurologist . Then, they randomly assigned to experimental and control group and completed The DASS test was used on both groups in pre test post test and follow up phases. The experimental group received CBSM for 10 sessions, each session 2 hour, for a period of 2. 5 months. The data was analyzed by ANCOVA. Results: The mean of anxiety, Stress and depression scores, was significantly decreased in experimental group in posttest and follow up. Conclusions: It is suggested that cognitive behavioral stress management have had a positive effect on decreasing anxiety, stress, and depression in patients with somatoform vertigo.

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Aim and Background: Somatic symptom is one of the prevalent complaints in patients with psychiatric disorders and in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders -5 th Edition (DSM-5) is mentioned as somatic symptom disorder (SSD). In order to assess somatic complaints, validated scales are required. The aim of the present study was preparation of Persian version and determination of factor structure (as one of the psychometric properties) of Screening for Somatoform Symptoms-7 (SOMS-7) scale in Iranian samples. Methods and Materials: This psychometric study was conducted in Psychosomatic Research Center of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran, and included 100 patients with anxiety/mood disorders. All participants were asked to complete SOMS-7 and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ). Validity was confirmed by correlational method, and factor analysis and external and internal reliability were confirmed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient and re-test method. Factor analysis was performed by exploratory and confirmatory method. Data were analysed via SPSS software. Findings: Internal consistency of SOMS-7 was obtained 0.92 using Cronbach's alpha and reliability was obtained 0.70 via re-test method in two weeks interval. Factor analysis showed an appropriate two-factor structure in patients. The correlation of these two factors with somatic scale of PHQ was obtained 0.51 and 0.59, respectively, and revealed the construction validity as well as convergent validity. Conclusions: Findings indicate that Persian version of SOMS-7 has suitable reliability and validity for assessment of SSD and also evaluation of treatment effects in these patients.