NCT01590992

Treatment of Globus Sensations With Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy and Psychobiology of Somatoform Disorders (Globus Sensations): A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 175 (actual)
• Sponsor: University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 85 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether psychotherapy (based on exposure techniques) is effective in the treatment of functional somatic symptoms (FSS)/Somatoform Disorders (as exemplified here in subjects with globus sensations in the throat).

Detailed description

Functional somatic symptoms (FSS) and somatoform disorders are characterized by the presence of medically unexplained symptoms. They are among the most prevalent disorders in the general medical setting, leading to individual suffering and having huge impact on public health alike. Unfortunately, many patients still remain untreated and not all patients get better, even when receiving currently proposed treatments. The aim of the present project is twofold: First, we want to improve the understanding of risk factors and psychobiological processes leading to the development of FSS. Second, we will explore and evaluate new ways of treating subjects with FSS. Within the project, we will examine subjects with globus sensations in the throat, a very common und impairing form of FSS. The proposed study i) may provide insight into the development of FSS, thereby improving our way by which we recognize and diagnose subjects with FSS, and ii) may help fostering our understanding of how to better treat subjects suffering from FSS.

Conditions

• Somatoform Disorders
• Globus Hystericus

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Exposure-based psychotherapy for somatic symptoms	Application of different types of exposure-based psychotherapeutic interventions (behavioral therapy), adapted for subjects with somatic symptoms (Somatoform Disorders/Functional Somatic Syndromes)
BEHAVIORAL	Relaxation therapy	Progressive muscle relaxation (Jacobson)

Timeline

• Start date: 2012-05-01
• Primary completion: 2017-12-01
• Completion: 2017-12-01
• First posted: 2012-05-03
• Last updated: 2018-10-24

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Switzerland