Why reassurance fails in patients with unexplained symptoms--an experimental investigation of remembered probabilities.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Providing reassurance is one of physicians' most frequently used verbal interventions. However, medical reassurance can fail or even have negative effects. This is frequently the case in patients with medically unexplained symptoms. It is hypothesized that these patients are more likely than patients from other groups to incorrectly recall the likelihoods of medical explanations provided by doctors.

Methods and findings

Thirty-three patients with medically unexplained symptoms, 22 patients with major depression, and 30 healthy controls listened to an audiotaped medical report, as well as to two control reports. After listening to the reports, participants were asked to rate what the doctor thinks the likelihood is that the complaints are caused by a specific medic

SUBMITTER: Rief W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1523375 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature