Table 3.

Categories of relations between physical symptoms and emotions

Category	Type of relation	Number of quotes referring to category of relation	Characteristics
			Content	Form	Initiation	Category of emotions	Stage of intervention
Separated
The physical symptoms and emotions are distinct entities that are unrelated	Negated relation	12	Physical symptom is not caused by or attributable to emotion	Negation of (a previous) physician’s suggestion, sometimes while expressing anger	Introduced by patient, emotions are spontaneous or in response to GP’s suggested relation	Anxiety Low mood	Any
Connected
The physical symptoms and emotions are distinct entities that are related	a) Isolated connection	87	Cause–effect relation regularly experienced	Short statements that are frequently repeated throughout the consultation	Spontaneously introduced by patient	Frustration Embarrassment Anxiety	Any
	b) Vicious circle	11	Complex vicious circle underlying symptom	Brief confirmation of GP’s suggested relation	Introduced by GP, adopted by patient	Anxiety	Middle
Inseparable
The physical symptoms and emotions are combined within a single entity	a) Integrated whole	11	Attribution of physical symptom to affective disorder	Exploratory narrative	Spontaneously introduced by patient	Anxiety Low mood	Start
	b) Fragments of a whole	8	Distressing state with physical and emotional aspects	Chaotic narrative	Spontaneously introduced by patient	Anxiety	Start