Aim: The paper aims to show how the biopsychosocial (BPS) model can be applied as a clinical method and guide the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with somatic symptom disorders (SSD).
Methods: Based on relevant literature and our clinical work with children and adolescents with SSD, we have developed a method to ensure a structured, interdisciplinary examination of biological, psychological and social factors, operationalising the BPS model into a clinical method.
Results: The BPS model renders assessment and treatment of complex conditions as a basis for evaluating phenomena not confined by diagnostic tools, but still includes all information from these tools. It requires an interdisciplinary approach, giving individual patient and caregivers a central position. A thorough medical examination is required as a starting point for assessments. Good results rest upon a shared understanding between patient, caregivers and professionals.
Conclusions: 'Biopsychosocial' is often claimed as a basis for clinical work with complex cases, medical, functional and psychiatric, but scarcely with a corresponding BPS method or practice. The BPS method should guide further development of holistic, interdisciplinary health care on all levels, to assess and help children and adolescents with SSD.
Keywords: biopsychosocial model; clinical method; functional somatic symptoms; interdisciplinary paediatric practice; medically unexplained symptoms; somatic symptom disorders.
© 2022 The Authors. Acta Paediatrica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Foundation Acta Paediatrica.