Miller, Robert C.2012-08-242012-08-242008-04-29Osteopathic Medicine and Primary Care. 2008 Apr 29;2(1):6http://hdl.handle.net/10919/18971Background Individuals with somatic preoccupation constitute a substantial number of primary care patients. Somatically preoccupied patients are challenging to primary care physicians for several reasons including patient complaints consuming a great deal of physician time, expense to diagnose and treat and strain on the physician-patient relationship. This paper examines and discusses how disruptions in early attachment relationships such as often occurs when a female is a victim of child sexual abuse may result in somatic preoccupation in adulthood. Treatment utilizing attachment theory Attachment theory provides a useful framework for primary care physicians to conceptualize somatic preoccupation. Utilization and containment techniques grounded in an understanding of attachment dynamics aid the physician in developing a sound physician-patient relationship. Successfully engaging the patient in treatment prevents misunderstandings that frequently derail medical care for somatically preoccupied patients.application/pdfenCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 InternationalThe somatically preoccupied patient in primary care: use of attachment theory to strengthen physician-patient relationshipsArticle - Refereed2012-08-24Robert C Miller et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.Osteopathic Medicine and Primary Carehttps://doi.org/10.1186/1750-4732-2-6