Table 1.
Interview content to be considered when dealing with a patient suffering from a psychosomatic or psychological disorder (Popa-Velea et al., 2013)
Element of the interview | Usefulness |
Making an inventory of the whole set of problems, not just of the current issue | Highlights problems and correlations not obvious to the patient, but relevant for his / her suffering or which may explain previous failures |
Testing patient’s emotional involvement and motivation | Offers information about the amount of resources the patient has in coping with his / her illness |
Obtaining detailed information regarding the conditions in which the symptoms occur | Allows comprehension of certain patterns, such as the role of conditioned responses in symptom’s development and suggests ways to interrupt them |
Understanding patient’s vision on the illness and the treatment | Warns the therapist about possible issues which may increase resistance to therapy |
Investigating the coping strategies that are the most preferred by the patient in problematic situations | Uncovers unproductive, harmful or inefficient coping strategies, possibly approachable via counseling or psychotherapy |
Exploring the psychological impact of the treatment / of previous hospitalizations | Has a contribution in increasing the level of “basic” trust in the relationship with the current therapist |
Investigating the intensity and the quality of social and familial relationships | Allows discovery of underlying pathogenic elements (e.g. personality disorders). Reveals key individuals, able to provide support under critical circumstances. |