Allan Abbass, Behnia Haghiri

Key words: psychodynamic, somatic symptoms, emotion, unconscious anxiety, psychophysiological disorders

Objective: Functional somatic disorders (FSD) are extremely common amongst neuropsychiatric and other specialty medicine referrals. Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) is an emotionally focused form of brief therapy that has been researched and developed specifically for the diagnostic assessment and treatment of FSD, amongst other conditions.
Method: In this publication, we review the ISTDP theoretical underpinnings, the diagnostic assessment, treatment approach and evidence base.
Results: There are now over 50 publications evaluating ISTDP and its effect and processes in FSD. It has been demonstrated efficacious for the spectrum of functional somatic disorders, including chronic pain, functional gastrointestinal disorders, and functional neurological disorders among others. It has further been found more effective than cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of chronic pain. Further there is evidence that it is cost-effective in treating these conditions.
Conclusions: ISTDP is a broadly useful clinical tool in the assessment and treatment of FSD.