[Psychological stress in patients with environmentally-induced disorders. A comparison between self concept and expert assessment].

Environmental illnesses raise diagnostic and therapeutic conflicts in scientific discussions and clinical practice. When a patient's health-belief model, based on environmental origins, does not match that of the expert, the therapeutic relationship can be endangered. Our study investigates this discrepancy, which has not been empirically evaluated so far. Patient (n=61) and expert disease concepts were systematically investigated. Our results indicate that in cases in which both concepts are favourable, the patient suffered minor psychiatric disorders with stable psychic structures and the symptoms were associated with medical or environmental causes. If both concepts were unfavourable, a higher proportion of psychiatric disorders with unstable psychic structures were present. In the case of incongruent concepts, the expert evaluations allow a more accurate assessment of the psychiatric diagnoses, psychic states and the psychic attribution of somatic and psychic burden.