[New guidelines on functional and somatoform disorders]

Abstract

The S3 guideline "Dealing with patients with non-specific, functional and somatoform bodily symptoms" emphasizes the similarities in the management of the manifold manifestations of so called "medically unexplained symptoms" and gives recommendations for a stepped and collaborative diagnostic and therapeutic approach in all subspecialties and all levels of health care. It has a special focus on recommendations regarding attitude, physician-patient-relationship, communication, the parallelization of somatic and psychosocial diagnostics and a stepped therapeutic approach. The "Evidence-based guideline psychotherapy in somatoform disorders and associated syndromes" provides a differentiated analysis of the current evidence regarding the effectiveness of various psychotherapeutic interventions for the most relevant manifestations of functional and somatoform disorders. In combination, both guidelines pose important advances for treatment quality in Germany, but also illustrate remarkable structural and research deficits.