Effects of Gender and Marital Status on Somatic Symptoms of Patients Attending a Mind/Body Medicine Clinic

Abstract

To clarify the mechanisms of gender-related mind/body relationships, the authors analyzed the characteristics of 1,132 outpatients (848 women and 284 men) attending a mind/body medicine clinic. At entry in the program, the patients completed the Medical Symptom Checklist, Symptom Checklist-90 revised (SCL-90R), and Stress Perception Scale. Women reported 9 out of 12 symptoms (fatigue, insomnia, headache, back pain, joint or limb pain, palpitations, constipation, nausea, and dizziness) more frequently than the men did. Being a woman was a predictor of the total number of somatic symptoms endorsed. SCL-90R somatization scores were significantly higher in nonmarried women than in married women. Perceived stress ratings of family and health were higher in women than in men, despite the lower degree of perceived stress concerning work. Women, especially nonmarried women, were more likely to report somatic discomfort. Gender appears to be an important factor in relation to the report of somatic symptoms in stress-related conditions.

Index Terms:

• marital status
• psychological stress
• sex

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mutsuhiro Nakao

Dr Nakao is with the Mind/Body Medical Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, and the Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Teikyo University in Japan. Dr Fricchione, Ms Zuttermeister, Ms Myers, and Dr Benson are also with the Mind/Body Medical Institute. Drs Fricchione and Barsky are with the Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston. Dr Fricchione is also with the Carter Center Mental Health Program in Atlanta.