"Psychosomatic": a systematic review of its meaning in newspaper articles

Jon Stone; Matthew Colyer; Steve Feltbower; Alan Carson; Michael Sharpe; Jon Stone

doi:10.1176/appi.psy.45.4.287

"Psychosomatic": a systematic review of its meaning in newspaper articles

Jon Stone, Matthew Colyer, Steve Feltbower, Alan Carson, Michael Sharpe, Jon Stone

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract / Description of output

In this study, the authors describe the meaning of the word "psychosomatic" in U.S. and U.K. newspaper articles using a systematic text word search and a consensus rating of the contextual meaning of all articles published in 14 U.S. and U.K. newspapers between 1996 and 2002. The survey was limited to broadsheet newspapers. "Psychosomatic" had a pejorative meaning, such as "imaginary" or "made up," in 74 of 215 (34%) of the articles in which the meaning could be judged. Most commonly, "psychosomatic" was used to describe a problem that was psychological or in which the mind affects the body (56%) rather than as a reciprocal interaction (5%). "Psychosomatic medicine" is the new name for the seventh subspecialty of psychiatry. More needs to be done to educate the media about its actual meaning to make it attractive to patients.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	287-90
Number of pages	4
Journal	Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry
Volume	45
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.psy.45.4.287
Publication status	Published - 3 Jul 2004

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

Association
Great Britain
Humans
Newspapers
Psychophysiologic Disorders
Psychosomatic Medicine
Terminology as Topic
United States

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10.1176/appi.psy.45.4.287

Cite this

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title = "{"}Psychosomatic{"}: a systematic review of its meaning in newspaper articles",

abstract = "In this study, the authors describe the meaning of the word {"}psychosomatic{"} in U.S. and U.K. newspaper articles using a systematic text word search and a consensus rating of the contextual meaning of all articles published in 14 U.S. and U.K. newspapers between 1996 and 2002. The survey was limited to broadsheet newspapers. {"}Psychosomatic{"} had a pejorative meaning, such as {"}imaginary{"} or {"}made up,{"} in 74 of 215 (34%) of the articles in which the meaning could be judged. Most commonly, {"}psychosomatic{"} was used to describe a problem that was psychological or in which the mind affects the body (56%) rather than as a reciprocal interaction (5%). {"}Psychosomatic medicine{"} is the new name for the seventh subspecialty of psychiatry. More needs to be done to educate the media about its actual meaning to make it attractive to patients.",

keywords = "Association, Great Britain, Humans, Newspapers, Psychophysiologic Disorders, Psychosomatic Medicine, Terminology as Topic, United States",

author = "Jon Stone and Matthew Colyer and Steve Feltbower and Alan Carson and Michael Sharpe and Jon Stone",

year = "2004",

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doi = "10.1176/appi.psy.45.4.287",

language = "English",

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journal = "Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry",

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T2 - a systematic review of its meaning in newspaper articles

AU - Stone, Jon

AU - Colyer, Matthew

AU - Feltbower, Steve

AU - Carson, Alan

AU - Sharpe, Michael

AU - Stone, Jon

PY - 2004/7/3

Y1 - 2004/7/3

N2 - In this study, the authors describe the meaning of the word "psychosomatic" in U.S. and U.K. newspaper articles using a systematic text word search and a consensus rating of the contextual meaning of all articles published in 14 U.S. and U.K. newspapers between 1996 and 2002. The survey was limited to broadsheet newspapers. "Psychosomatic" had a pejorative meaning, such as "imaginary" or "made up," in 74 of 215 (34%) of the articles in which the meaning could be judged. Most commonly, "psychosomatic" was used to describe a problem that was psychological or in which the mind affects the body (56%) rather than as a reciprocal interaction (5%). "Psychosomatic medicine" is the new name for the seventh subspecialty of psychiatry. More needs to be done to educate the media about its actual meaning to make it attractive to patients.

AB - In this study, the authors describe the meaning of the word "psychosomatic" in U.S. and U.K. newspaper articles using a systematic text word search and a consensus rating of the contextual meaning of all articles published in 14 U.S. and U.K. newspapers between 1996 and 2002. The survey was limited to broadsheet newspapers. "Psychosomatic" had a pejorative meaning, such as "imaginary" or "made up," in 74 of 215 (34%) of the articles in which the meaning could be judged. Most commonly, "psychosomatic" was used to describe a problem that was psychological or in which the mind affects the body (56%) rather than as a reciprocal interaction (5%). "Psychosomatic medicine" is the new name for the seventh subspecialty of psychiatry. More needs to be done to educate the media about its actual meaning to make it attractive to patients.

KW - Association

KW - Great Britain

KW - Humans

KW - Newspapers

KW - Psychophysiologic Disorders

KW - Psychosomatic Medicine

KW - Terminology as Topic

KW - United States

U2 - 10.1176/appi.psy.45.4.287

DO - 10.1176/appi.psy.45.4.287

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JO - Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry

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ER -

"Psychosomatic": a systematic review of its meaning in newspaper articles

Abstract / Description of output

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

Access to Document

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