Putting the Vicious Cycle to the Test: Evidence for the Cognitive Behavioral Model of Persistent Somatic Symptoms from an Online Study.

Our findings from an exploratory and a confirmatory approach give empirical support for the CBM, suggesting it as a suitable model to explain bodily symptoms in the general population and to possibly guide clinical practice. The network model additionally indicates the necessity to apply an individualized CBM for patients, depending on a preponderance of either persistent somatic symptoms or health concerns.