Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Patients With Multi-organ Bodily Distress Syndrome (Stress-4)

The aim of this study is to test the effect of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in patients with multi-organ Bodily distress syndrome (BDS). BDS is a unifying diagnosis that encompasses a group of closely related conditions such as somatization disorder, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome. The project consists of a three-armed randomized controlled trial of ACT treatment given as a supplement to standard treatment as either 9-session group therapy or as a 1-day workshop followed by an individual consultation, compared to standard treatment, which is one single advisory consultation.

Primary outcome is patient-rated improvement measured by Clinical Global Improvement Scale (CGI-I). Secondary outcome is functional level (physical, mental and social) measured by the SF-36 Physical Component Summary (PCS). The study includes 180 participants.

Inclusion criteria

• First time refered patients fulfilling diagnostic criteria for BDS multi-organ type with symptoms for more than 3 of 4 symptom categories
• Moderate or severe impact on daily life
• Symptoms lasting for at least 2 years
• Age 20-50 years
• Born in Denmark or have Danish parents. The patient understands, speaks, writes and read Danish.

Exclusion criteria

• Presence og other physical of psychiatric condition, if the symptoms of this condition can not clearly be separated from symptoms of BDS
• Patients with treatment demanding psychiatric disease as dominating problem
• A lifetime-diagnosis of psychoses, mania or depression with psychotic symptoms (ICD-10: F20-29, F30-31, F32.3, F33.3)
• Abuse of alcohol, narcotics or drugs
• Pregnancy at time of inclusion