Acceptance and Commitment Group Therapy for Adolescents With a Range of Functional Somatic Syndromes

Background: An increasing number of adolescents report recurrent functional somatic symptoms. Some experience persistent symptoms and may receive functional somatic syndromes (FSS) diagnoses (i.e. symptoms not attributable to any known conventionally defined physical disease), characterised by severe disability and reduced quality of life. The aim of this study is to: 1. Develop an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based group intervention for adolescents with severe FSS (conceptualized as Bodily Distress Syndrome (BDS), see detailed description). 2. Examine the efficacy of group based ACT in adolescents (aged 15-19 years) with severe FSS. The ACT-based treatment, with 9 sessions of group therapy and one follow up meeting is compared to standard treatment/enhanced usual care, which is one single advisory consultation. The study includes approximately 120 patients.