[Functional dysphonia: relation with personality and ICD-10 criteria]

Abstract

The International Classification of Diseases, 10th. revision (ICD-10) in the category F45 defines the somatoform disorder as a mental disease characterized by the reiterative presentation of somatic symptoms in absence of an organic disease, or the somatic pathology being insufficient to explain the intensity of the symptoms as well as the discomfort and preoccupation of the patient. Fifteen female teachers with functional dysphonia were studied by means of a semistructured interview and psychometric evaluations. Considering dysphonia as the principal symptom, the most frequent diagnosis, in accordance with ICD-10 was "Other somatoform disorder" (F-45.8)(9/15). Five patients were diagnosed as motor dissociative disorder (F-44.4). All the patients had some abnormality of personality (5 with personality disorder and 10 with exacerbation of personality traits). The criteria of ICD-10 to classify the functional dysphonia as Somatoform disorder are discussed. It is suggested that certain personality traits are facilitators for somatization.