Overlap, comorbidity, and stability of somatoform disorders and the use of current versus lifetime criteria.

The authors examined disorder overlap, comorbidity, stability, and predictors of somatoform disorders (SDs) by "lifetime" and "current" symptom criteria in a general population sample of 421 respondents interviewed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview in 1990 and 2001. Disorder overlap and comorbidity were considerable. "Current" SDs were four times more likely to occur among respondents with depression. Diagnostic stability was highest for "current" SDs (retrospective consistency: 42%). Young women were more prone to a stable (chronic) course over time. Previous depression and physical disease were risk factors for "current" but not for "lifetime" SDs; diagnostic criteria should therefore be based on current symptoms.