Covert Video Monitoring in the Assessment of Medically Unexplained Symptoms in Children

Diagnosis of medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) occurs after thorough evaluations have failed to identify a physiological cause for symptoms. However, families and providers may wonder if something has been missed, leading to reduced confidence in behavioral treatment. Confidence may be improved t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of pediatric psychology 2012-04, Vol.37 (3), p.329-337
Main Authors: WALLACE, Dustin P, SIM, Leslie A, HARRISON, Tracy E, BRUCE, Barbara K, HARBECK-WEBER, Cynthia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Behavior Therapy
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Child clinical studies
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Pain - diagnosis
Pain - psychology
Pain Management
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Reinforcement (Psychology)
Somatoform Disorders - diagnosis
Somatoform Disorders - psychology
Somatoform Disorders - therapy
Somatoform disorders. Psychosomatics
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Summary:Diagnosis of medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) occurs after thorough evaluations have failed to identify a physiological cause for symptoms. However, families and providers may wonder if something has been missed, leading to reduced confidence in behavioral treatment. Confidence may be improved through the use of technology such as covert video monitoring to better assess functioning across settings. A 12-year-old male presented with progressive neurological decline, precipitated by chronic pain. After thorough evaluation and the failure of standard treatments (medical, rehabilitative, and psychological) covert video monitoring revealed that the patient demonstrated greater abilities when alone in his room. Negative reinforcement was used to initiate recovery, accompanied by positive reinforcement and a rehabilitative approach. Covert video monitoring assisted in three subsequent cases over the following 3 years. In certain complex cases, video monitoring can inform the assessment and treatment of MUS. Discussion includes ethical and practical considerations.
ISSN:0146-8693
1465-735X
DOI:10.1093/jpepsy/jsr098