Which statement correctly differentiates somatic symptom disorder from illness anxiety disorder?

Which statement correctly differentiates somatic symptom disorder from illness anxiety disorder?

• A. Somatic symptom disorder has no physical symptoms; illness anxiety has symptoms
• B. Illness anxiety disorder involves disease preoccupation with minimal or no somatic symptoms; somatic symptom disorder involves actual symptoms
• C. Illness anxiety disorder is always associated with hospitalization; somatic symptom disorder is not
• D. Somatic symptom disorder is a pure anxiety disorder with no physical complaints

Answer: (B)

The key idea is how these two conditions differ in the presence and interpretation of physical symptoms. Illness anxiety disorder is defined by a preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness, with little or no somatic symptoms, and high health-related anxiety and behaviors. Somatic symptom disorder involves one or more actual physical symptoms that are distressing or result in significant disruption, accompanied by excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors about the symptoms. So the statement is the best because it captures that distinction: illness anxiety disorder centers on disease worry with minimal somatic symptoms, while somatic symptom disorder involves genuine symptoms that elicit persistent overinterpretation and concern. The other descriptions don’t fit: somatic symptom disorder does involve physical symptoms, illness anxiety is not defined by hospitalization, and somatic symptom disorder is not simply an anxiety disorder without physical complaints.

The key idea is how these two conditions differ in the presence and interpretation of physical symptoms. Illness anxiety disorder is defined by a preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness, with little or no somatic symptoms, and high health-related anxiety and behaviors. Somatic symptom disorder involves one or more actual physical symptoms that are distressing or result in significant disruption, accompanied by excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors about the symptoms.

So the statement is the best because it captures that distinction: illness anxiety disorder centers on disease worry with minimal somatic symptoms, while somatic symptom disorder involves genuine symptoms that elicit persistent overinterpretation and concern. The other descriptions don’t fit: somatic symptom disorder does involve physical symptoms, illness anxiety is not defined by hospitalization, and somatic symptom disorder is not simply an anxiety disorder without physical complaints.