Trial reportThe British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science2008
Cognitive-behavioural therapy v. structured care for medically unexplained symptoms: randomised controlled trial.
Trial report in The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science, 2008. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 61 citations in OpenAlex.
- What psychological interventions are effective for the management of persistent physical symptoms (PPS)? A systematic review and meta-analysis.British journal of health psychology · 2023Pooled it
- Primary-level worker interventions for the care of people living with mental disorders and distress in low- and middle-income countries.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2021Pooled it
- Behavioural modification interventions for medically unexplained symptoms in primary care: systematic reviews and economic evaluation.Health technology assessment (Winchester, England) · 2020Pooled it
- Non-pharmacological interventions for somatoform disorders and medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) in adults.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2014Pooled it
- Enhanced care by generalists for functional somatic symptoms and disorders in primary care.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2013Pooled it
- The Relaxation Exercise and Social Support Trial (RESST): a community-based randomized controlled trial to alleviate medically unexplained vaginal discharge symptoms.BMC psychiatry · 2012Trial
- Trial
- Feasibility of Videoconference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Somatic Symptom Disorder: Single-Arm Pilot Trial.JMIR formative research · 2026Article
- Effectiveness of non-specialist delivered psychological interventions on glycemic control and mental health problems in individuals with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.International journal of mental health systems · 2022Review
- An introduction for the treatment and educational strategy of medically unexplained symptoms in Denmark.Journal of general and family medicine · 2017Article
- Fatigue as a manifestation of psychosocial distress in a low-income country: a population-based panel study.Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH · 2016Article
- Patients with unexplained physical symptoms have poorer quality of life and higher costs than other patient groups: a cross-sectional study on burden.BMC health services research · 2013Article
- [Psychotherapeutic approaches for patients with somatoform disorders].Der Nervenarzt · 2012Article
- Impact of perinatal somatic and common mental disorder symptoms on functioning in Ethiopian women: the P-MaMiE population-based cohort study.Journal of affective disorders · 2012Article
- Genetic and environmental contributions to the overlap between psychological, fatigue and somatic symptoms: a twin study in Sri Lanka.Twin research and human genetics : the official journal of the International Society for Twin Studies · 2011Article
- Comparison of two treatments for coxarthrosis: local hyperthermia versus radio electric asymmetrical brain stimulation.Clinical interventions in aging · 2011Article
- The treatment of patients with medically unexplained symptoms in primary care: a review of the literature.Mental health in family medicine · 2010Article
- Psychologists experience of cognitive behaviour therapy in a developing country: a qualitative study from Pakistan.International journal of mental health systems · 2010Article
- Understanding the explanatory model of the patient on their medically unexplained symptoms and its implication on treatment development research: a Sri Lanka Study.BMC psychiatry · 2008Article
- Efficacy of Adjunctive Single Session Counseling for Medically Unexplained Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Indian journal of psychological medicineArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundA pilot trial in Sri Lanka among patients with medically unexplained symptoms revealed that cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) administered by a psychiatrist was efficacious.
aimsTo evaluate CBT provided by primary care physicians in a comparison with structured care.
methodA randomised control trial (n=75 in each arm) offered six 30 min sessions of structured care or therapy. The outcomes of the two interventions were compared at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months.
resultsIn each arm, 64 patients (85%) completed the three mandatory sessions. No difference was observed between groups in mean scores on the General Health Questionnaire or the Bradford Somatic Inventory, or in number of complaints or patient-initiated consultations at 3 months. For both groups, all outcome measures improved at 3 months, and remained constant in the follow-up assessments.
conclusionsCognitive-behavioural therapy given by primary care physicians after a short course of training is no more efficacious than structured care. Natural remission is an unlikely explanation for improvements in people with chronic medically unexplained symptoms, but lack of a 'treatment as usual' arm limits further conclusions. Further research on enhanced structured care, medical assessment and structured care incorporating simple elements of CBT principles is worthy of consideration.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.