COGNITIVE_ BEHAVIORAL STRESS MANAGEMENT AND ITS IMPACT ON SOMATIZATION, OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER, INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP SENSITIVITY AND VERTIGO SIGNS IN FEMALES WITH SOMATOFORM VERTIGO

Background and Objective: Psychological interventions can play a vital role in decreasing the symptoms of 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 somatization, obsessive-compulsive disorder and interpersonal relationship sensitivity in females with somatoform vertigo. Materials and Methods: This experimental study composed of pre test, post test and follow up phases. The sample consisted of 28 patients with somatoform vertigo according to the diagnosis of neurologists. They were randomly selected and then assigned to two groups of experimental and control. The SCL-90-R and VSS-SF tests were used in both groups throughout pre and post tests and follow up phases. The experimental group received CBSM for 10 sessions each session lasted for 2.5 hours and for a period of 2.5 months. The data was analyzed by ANCOVA. Results: The mean of somatization, obsessive-compulsive disorder, interpersonal relationship sensitivity and vertigo signs significantly decreased in the experimental group. Conclusion: Cognitive-behavioral stress management has a positive effect on the treatment of somatization, obsessive-compulsive disorder, interpersonal relationship sensitivity and vertigo signs in patients with somatoform vertigo.