Life events and life satisfaction in Nigerian patients with undifferentiated somatoform disorder and a non clinical population

Abstract

Background: Expression of mental disorder through physical symptoms is a common clincial presentation in Nigeria.
Objective: To compare life events and life satisfaction in Nigerians with undifferentiated somataform disorder and normal subjects.
Method: Ninety one patients with undifferentiated somatoform disorder and 67 normal community dwelling subjects were assessed with the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS), Stress Quiz (SQ), and Life Satisfaction Scale (LS).
Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the SRRS scores of the patients and normal subjects; however, patients scored significantly higher than the normal subjects on the Stress Quiz.
Conclusion: In a Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis, the most distinguishing factor between patients and subjects was life satisfaction, with the latter having much higher life satisfaction .

Keywords: Undifferentiated somatoform disorder, life events, life satisfaction, Nigeria.

Nigerian Medical Journal Vol. 48 (1) 2007: pp. 9-13