Secretary of Labor v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. 

OSHRC Docket No. 09-1013 

Reply Brief for Respondent 

Exhibit C 

Expert Report of Arthur J. Barsky, M.D. 

Filed on October 21, 2011 
(i) Statement of opinions 

Expert Written Report 

Arlhur 1. Barsky, MD 

2/18/10 

In. my opinion, the crowd behavior exhibited in this case resulted from a cascade of 

numerous, unlikely and improbable events that occur:red in the context of the unpredictabJe 

irrationality of individual behavior in crowds. These factors indicate to me that the results of this 

crowd behavior could not have reasonably been anticipated or prevented. 

The crowd behavior exhibited in this case has been tenned "acquisitive pani.c" or 

"acquisitive mob behavior". It occurs when individuals within a crowd are in competition for a 

prized reSOUIce~ such as the distribution of food, or access to entertainment and sporting events. 

Acquisitive panic is an evolving process 1that develops in two phases. In. the first phase; 

numerous individuals mill around in a sOlrnewhat disorganized and non-coherent fonn. An event 

or events then occur that galvanize the CI'Il)wd and .precipitate the second, posHgnition phase in 

which the group engages in violent or dramatic behavior. Methods for dealing with the first 

phase are referred to as "crowd managem.ent~· and widely accepted principles of crowd 

managem.ent have been described and prc:scribed. These methods are directed at conveying a 

sense of order and control. They are not designed to prevent the second phase of behavior from 

occurring. This second phase; the acquis:itive panic, consists of aberrant behavior, and is 

exceedingly rare. Once it has been ignited, however, there is little empirical evidence for the 

effectiveness of any crowd control strategy other than a massive show of force by law 

enforcement authorities. 
In the case at hand, there was insu.fficient reason to expect or anticipate that the second 

phase of acquisitive mob behavior would. be ignited, and once it did occur there was little that 

management could have done to avoid the outcome. 

The general obset'Vation regarding gatherings of individuals in competition for some 

desired reSOU1.'Ce (concert seats, food,. fuel, merchandise on sale) is that antisocial violence is rare 

and helpful and even altruistic bebavior often occurs (Reicher, 2003; Iohnso~ 1987; Raphael, 

2005; McPhail, 2007). McPhail notes that "violence is the exception rather than the rule in most 

gatherings," and that gatherings and dispi~s at sports stadiums, university lecture halls, and 

movie theaters happen routinely and witllOut incident. Convivial gatherings of university 

students (e.g.; celebrations following spo:rting victories) also share some features with these sales 

events; There is a generally f'eS1:i.ve atmosphere, they are not planned in advance, and there are 

no leaders or organization. And. indeed, while "as the nwnber of participants increases~ there is a 

greater likelihood that some private prop"rty will be destroyedt " there is a marked difference in 

violence directed to property and violenoe directed 10 persons, in that an increased gathering size 

does not yield an increase in violen.ce agelinst persons (Martin et ai, 2009). 

These observations are borne out 'by the overall experience of the retail industry with 

'~door"buster" and '"midnight madness" sules, where serious physical violence or serious injury is 

rare~ and death almost unheard of. This i:s particularly noteworthy in light of the vast nwnber of 

such sales that occur repeatedly, all across the United States every year. Thus there was no 

reason to expect this particular sale was liikely to result in death or serious physical hann, nor 

was there reason for Wldue alann initially. 

Several unforeseeable. unlikely, independent, incendiaty events occurred dming the 

course of the night as the crowd gatbered:, that culminated in the acquisitive panic that erupted at 

2 
5;00 AM. These included: (1) The unexpectedly large size of the crowd; (2) At least one violent 

scuftle among those waiting (W At 0341, 0826); (3) The escorting of someone from the back of 

the queue up to the front (W AL 818-819); 3lld most important, (4) The rush to the front of the 

line by a number of people who had previously been waiting not in the queue but in their 

automobIles. It was the co-occurrence of these independent, unpredictable events that then 

ignited the unlikely antisocial behavior eJdllbited by this crowd when the dool'S opened. And 

once the crowd entered the second phase of the craze, there was little choice for the store 

management To keep the doors closed would only have incited the crowd further and 

exacerbated the physical crush on those at the front of the ]ine, and thus opening the doors and 

allowing the people to enter the store W88 the best option. 

The rare event in which a sudden, unpredictable spread of an emotion (such as fear or 

:frustration or hostility) throughout a crowd, with resulting violence, selfish behavior, and 

excessive competition bears some similmity to the psychiatric phenomenon of mass or epidemic 

hysteria, also termed mass psychogenic illness. (n this phenomenon~ panic and anxiety spread 

rapidly from person to person throughout a crowd. It begins when someone becomes alanned 

and aroused. Their anxiety then spreads via a process of social contagion in which the disease 

vector is witnessing intense alarm and anlriety in someone nearby. One individual'S panic then 

spreads to others through the power of suggestion, expectation, and symptom. amplification. 

Thus in mass or epidemic hyste~ the physical symptoms of anxiety spread. rapidly through a 

large crowd., transmitted by observing someone nearby who appears to suddenly become ill. 

This prompts those surrounding th.e individual to believe they too have become ill and in tum 

become acutely anxious themselves. 

3 
In the same way that aDxiety can spread through a crowd to produce psychopathological 

symptoms, the anxiety generated in an ac,qnisitive panic or "acquisitive craze" can produce 

pathological behavior. Once the individual becomes aroused and alarmed, he/she may abandon a 

sense of soci.al responsibility and surrender to hislher own rising sense of urgency· in this case 

the urgent desire to obtain a scarce commodity. This then is transmitted to those nearby who 

become similarly aroused. This same process may erupt unpredictably in other situations when 

an individual in the crowd manifests intellse fear (resulting in a stampede, in whlch the crowd 

collectively runs without any clear directllon or purpose) or anger (resulting in hooliganism, in 

which vandalism or other destructive behavior, or fi,gbting or brawling between rival groups). 

(li) InfQrmation, considered in forming th~~ OPinions 

Fruin JJ: The causes and prevention of cr·owd disasters. Presented at the First International 

Conference on Engineering for Crowd Safety, London, March 1993, Elsevi,er Science Publishers. 

Revised for crowdsafe.com January 2002. 

Johnson NR; Panic at "The Who Concert Stampede": An empirical assessment. Social Problems 

1987; 34: 362-373. 

Martin A W, McCarthy JD~ McPhail C: Why targets matter: Toward a more inclusive model of 

collectiVe violence. American Sociologi(~ Review 2009; 74~821-841. 

Mawson AR: Understanding mass panic and other collective responses to threat and disaster. 

Psychiatry 2005; 68: 95-113. 

McPhail C: Crowd Behavior. Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology 2007, 880-83. 

McPhail C: The Myth of the Madding CrC'lWd 1991. 

Raphael B: Crowds and other collectives: Complexities of human behaviors in mass 

emergencies. Psychiatry 2005; 68: 115-120. 

Reicher S: The Psychology of Crowd Dynamics. In Blackwell Handbook o/Social Psychology: 

GroUD Processes. Hogg MA. Ymdale S. eds. Blackwell Publishi:n2. Oxford: 2003. Po. 182·208. ... ___.., .... ' lit 

WAJ.. 000001-1525, particularly 117,182,341,548.665, 680, 760~61, 808; 818-819; 826~ 1234. 

4 
WMF'v5293-001-00000Q01, 2~ 3~ 5~ 7~ 10, 12 

WM 2009-4350 1 IvOOOOOO 1 

NYITvideo 

(iii) Qualifications 

I am a c1inical and research psychiatrist specializing in psychosomatic medicine. ] am a 

Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medic:a1 School and Vice Chair for Research in the 

Department of Psychiatry at the Brigham and Women's Hospital. My interests have focused on 

the psychological factors that cause phYSllcal symptoms and the effects of sociocultural forces on 

symptom reporting and psychopathology.. I have been the principal investigator of nine research 

grants from the National Institutes ofHealltb in these areas. I have authored oYer 140 articles, 20 

book chapters, and two hooks. I have received the President's Research Award from the 

American Psychosomatic Society and bet.-n a Faculty Fellow of the MindIBrainlBehavior 

Interfaculty Initiative of Harvard University. I have been a Visiting Professor at the Georgetown 

University School of Medicine9 the Univ(!rsity of Wisconsin Medical School, the University of 

lllinois College of Medicine, Dartmouth Medical School~ and the Allegheny University of the 

Health Sciences. I am a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, a 

Fellow oftbe American College of Psychiatrists. and served on the Council of the American 

Psychosomatic Society. 

(iv.l~blications 

Original Reports: 

Brown lID, Kosslyn SM, Delamater B~ Fama J. Barsky AJ. Perceptual and memory biases for 

hea1th~related information ,in hypochondriacal individuals. J Psychosom Res 1999; 4 7:67 ~ 78. 

Barsky AJ, Orav JE, Ahem D~ Rogers lAP, Gruen SD~ Liang MH. Somatic style and symptom 

reporting in rheumatoid arthritis. Psychosomatics 1999; 40:396-403. 

Barsky AJ, Borns JF. Functional somatic; syndromes. Ann Int Med 1999; 130:910-921. 

Barsky AI. Understanding and managing hypochondriasis. Japan J Psycbosom Med 1999; 

39:325-333. 

5 
Van der Does AIW, Antony MM. Ehlers ~ Barsky AJ. Heartbeat perception in panic 

disorder: Are-analysis. Behav Res The,. 2000; 38:41-62. ' 

Barsky AJ, Bailey ED, Fama JM, Ahem DK. Predictors of remission in DSM 

hypochondriasis. Cornprehens Psychiat 2000; 41:179-183. 

Boros JF, Barsky AJ, Carbone LA, Fife A, Fricchion.e GL~ Minden SL. C-L cost offset: 

searching for the wrong grail. Psychosor.natics 2000; 41 :285-288. 

Carbone LA, Barsky AJo Orav EJ, Fife A, Fricchione GL, Minden SL, Boros JF. Psychiatric 

symptoms and medical utilization in primary care patients. Psychosomatics 2000; 41 :512-518. 

Nakao M. Fricchione G, Myers P, Zuttenneister PC, Barsky AJ, Benson H. Depression and 

education as predicting factors for compl'~on of behavioral medicine intervention in a 

nrind/body medicine clinic. Behav Med 2001; 26; 111-188. 

Nakao M. Fricchione G. Myers p. Zuttenneister PC, Bairn. M, MandIe CL, Medich C, WellsFederman CL, Arcari PM, Ennis M, B8.1.'Sky AJ, Benson H, Anxiety is a good indicator for 

somatic symptom reduction through a behavioral medicine intervention in a mindlbody medicine 

clinic. Psychother Psychosom 2001; 70:~)O-S7. 

Barsky AJ. Palpitations, arrhythmias and! the awareness of cardiac: activity. Ann Int Med 2001: 

134:832-837. 

Nakao M, Myers P, Fticchione G, Zuttermeister PC, Barsky Ai, Benson H. Somatization and 

symptom reducO,on through a behavioral medicine intervention in a mindlbody medicine clinic. 

Behav Med2001; 26:169-176. 

Nakao M. Friccmone G, Zuttermeister PC, Myers P, Barsky AJ, Benson. H. Effects of 

gender and marital status on somatic symptoms of patients attending a mindfbody 

medicine clinic. Behav Med 2001; 26: 1 S!~-168. 

Hammad M, Barsky AJ, Regestein QR. Correlation between Somatic Sensation 

Inventory scores and Hyperarousal Scale scores. Psychosomatics 2001; 42:29-34. 

Barsky AJ, Ahem DK, Bailey ED, Saintfort R, Liu EB. Peekna lIM. Hypochondriacal 

patients' appraisal of health and physical risks. Am.T Psychiatry 2001; 158:783-787. 

Barsky N. Peekna HM:, Borus JF. SomaHc symptom reporting in women and m.en. J Oen Int 

Med 2001; 16:1-10. 

Barsky AJ. Defining the :functional somatic syn.drom.es. J Funct Syndromes 2001; 1: 14-20. 

Barsky AJ~ Ettner SL, Horsky J, Bates DW. Resource utilization of patients with 

hypochondriacal health anxiety and somatiT.ation. Moo Care 2001; 39:105-71 5. 

6 
Barsky AJ. The patient with hypochondriasis. NewEngl J Moo 2001; 345:1395-1399. 

Nakao M, Barsky AJ, Kumano H, Kuook.i T. Relationship between somatosensory 

amplification and alexithymia in a JapanE:se psychosomatic clinic. Psychosomatics 

2002; 43:55-60. 

Nakao M~ Kumano H, Kuboki T, Barsky AJ. Reliability and validity of the Japanese 

version of the Somatosensory Amplification Scale: clinical application to psychosomatic 

illness. Japan J Psychosom Med 2002; 41 :539-547. 

Barsky AJ. Forgetting, fabricating and telescoping: The instability of the medical 

history. Arch Int Med 2002; 162:981-984. 

Barsky AJ, Saintfort R. Rogers MP, BOnJIs IF. Non-specific medication side effects and the 

nocebo phenomenon. JAMA 2002; 287:ji22-627 .. 

Rahman MO, BarskY AI. Self~reported health among older Bengladeshis: How good a 

health indicator is it? The Gerontologist :2003; 43:856-863. 

Zane RD, McAfee AT, Sherburne S, BiJlI=ter G, Barsky AJ. Panic disorder and 

emergency services utilization. Acad Emerg Med 2003; 1 0: 1 065-1 069 

Creed F, Barsky Al. A systemic review of the epidemiology of somatization disorder 

and hypochondriasis. J Psychosom Res 2004; 56:391-408. 

Barsky AJ, Ahem DK. Cognitive behavior therapy for hypochondriasis; a randomized 

controlled trial. JAMA 2004; 291:1464-Jl470. 

Sayar K, Barsky AJ, Gulec H. Does somatosensory ampli.fication decrease with 

antidepressant treatment? Psychosomaticls 2005; 46:340-344. 

Minden SL, Borns JF, Carbone LA, Barsky AJ, Fife A, Fricchione GL. Predictors and 

outcomes of delirium. General Hosp Psyc:hiat 2005; 27:209-14. 

Barsky AJ, Orav EJ, Bates DW: Somatization increases medical utilization and costs 

independent of psychiatric and. medical cI)morbidity. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2005; 62:903-

910. 

Rief W~ Barsky AJ: Psychobiological perspectives on somatoform disorders. 

Psychonemoendocrinology 2005; 30:996·1002. 

RiefW, Avom J, Barsky AJ: Medication attdbuted side effects in placebo groups: 

implications for the assessment of side effects. Arch Intern Med 2006; 166: 155-60 

Waldinger RJ, Schulz MS, Ahem DK, &rrsky AJ: Mapping the road from childhood 

trauma to adult somati2ation: the role of attachment. Psychosom., Med 2006; 68:129-135. 

7 
Barsky AJ~ Drav EJ, Bates DW: Distincti.ve patterns of medical care utilization in 

patients who somatize. Moo Care 2006; 44:803-811. 

Gitlin DF, Caplan JP, Rogers MP, Avni-Barron 0, Braun I, Barsky AJ: Foreign body 

ingestion in patients with personality disorders. Psychosomatics 2007; 48: 162-166. 

Nakao M. Barsky AJ, Nishikatani M, VallO E, Murata. K: Somatosensory amplification 

and its relationship to somatosensory, auditory, and visual evoked and event-related 

potentials. Neuroscience Letters 2007; 415:185-189. 

Engel CC, Locke So Reissman DB. DeMlrtino R, Kutz I, McDonald M, Barsky AJ: 

Terrorism, trawna, and mass casualty triage: How might we solve the latest mind/body 

problem? Biosecurity and Bioterrorism 2007; 5:155-163. 

Stuart S, Noyes R, Starcevic V, Barsky AT: An integrative approach 10 somatofonn 

di.Sorders combining interpersonal and cognitive-behavioral theory and techniques. J 

Contemp Psychother 2008; 38:45-53. 

Busse JW, Reid S, Lemoff A, Barsky A, Qureshi R, Guyatt GH, for the Medically 

Unexplained Syndromes Study Group: Managing environmental sensitivities: An overview 

illustrated with a case report. J Can Chiropr Assoc 2008; 52:88-95 

Nakao M, Barsky AJ: Clinical application of somatosensory amplification in. psychosomatic 

medicine. BioPsychoSocial Med 2007; 1:17doi:l0.1186/1751 

Braun IM~ Liang MR, Orav EJ, Barsky AT: A personality characteristic, somatic 

absorption~ and the perception of somatic symptoms in rhewnatoid arthritis patients. J 

Rheumato12008; 35:1-8. 

De Marinis V, Barsky AJ, Antin JH, Chang G: Health psychology and depressive 

disorders in mid-tenn HSCT recipients: a. pilot study. ElD'Opean J Cancer Care 2009; 

18:57~63. 

Harris AM, Orav EJ, Bates DW. Barsky A.J: Somatization increases disability 

independent ofcomorbidity. J Gen Intern Med 2009; 24:155-161. 

Sakai R Nestoriuc Y, Nolido NV. Barsky AI: The prevalence of personality disorders in 

hypochondriasis. J Clin Psycbiat 2009; Accepted for publication. 

ReifW. Nestoriuc Y, Weiss S, Welzel E. Barsky AJ, Hofinann SG: Meta-analysis of the 

placebo response in antidepressant trials. J Affect Disord 2009; Accepted for publication. 

RiefW. Nestoriuc Y. von Lilienfeld-Toa1 A. Do23D. I. Schreiber F. Hofinann ~. Ranlkv 

AI, Avom J: Diff~cesinadverse effect~porting ~ placebo ~uP~·~·SSRi'~d--" 

tricyclic antidepressant trials. Drug Safety 2009; Accepted for publication. 

8 
Vranceanu AM, Barsky AJt Ring D: Psychosocial aspects of disabling musculoskeletal 

pain. J Bone Joint Surg 2009; 91 :20 t 4-2018. 

Green J, Querques J, Barsky A, Notman N: Somatic preoccupations of future pregnancy. 

Harv Rev Psychiatry 2009; accepted for publication. 

Reviews ... Letters and Abst:racts: 

Barsky AJ. Borns JF. Functional Somati~~ Syndromes (In Reply). Ann Int Med 2000; 132:329-

330. 

Barsky AJ. Hypochondriasis (In Reply). New Engl J Moo 2002; 346:783-784. 

Barsky AJ; Rogers MP, Borus JF. The nocebo and medication side-effects (In Reply). lAMA 

2002; 287:2502 

Barsky, AJ; Ahem, DK. Interventions for hypochondriasis in primary care (In Reply). lAMA 

2004; 292:42-43 

Chapters: 

Barsky AJ. The Validity of Bodily Symptoms in Medical Outpatients. In: Stone A, Turkann JS, 

Bachrach CA, Jobe JB, Kurtzman HS, C~tin V8, eds. The Science o!Sel!-Report: Implications 

for Research and Practice. New York: Lawrence Erlbaum, 1999: 339-361. 

Barsky AJ. Hypochondriasis. In: Ono Y, Janca A, Asai M, Sartorius N, eds. 

Somatoform Disorders: A Worldwide Perspective. Tokyo: Springer-Verlag, 1999: 73-79. 

Barsky AJ. Somatosensory AmplificatiOlil and Hypochondriasis. In: Starcevic V, Lipsitt 

DR, eds. Hypoch(mdriasis: ClinicaJ.. Thl30retical and Treaiment Aspects. New York: 

Oxford University Press, 2000: 223-248. 

Barsky Al. Psychiatric and Behavioral Aspects of Cardiovascular Disease. In: Braunwald E, 

Zipes DP, Libby P, eds. Heart Disease: A. Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. PhiladeJphi~ 

PA: W.B. Saunders Co., 2001 (6tl! Edition):2244-2261; 2004 (7th Edition): 2129-2144. 

Minden S. Saintfort R, Barsky AJ: Anxiety Disorders. In: Branch WI, ed. Office Practice of 

Medicine. St. Louis, MO: Mosby-Year Book, Inc.,2003 (4th Edition): 1199-1214. 

Barsky AJ: Doctor., Axe You Sure My Heart is OK? Cognitive Behavioral Treatment of 

Hypochondriasis. In: Spit7..er RL, First ME. Williams JBW, Gibbon M: DSM-IV TR Casebook, 

Volume 2. Washingto~ DC: American Psychiatry Publishing, Inc, 2006: 251.-595. 

Fallon BA, Barsky AI: Hypochondriasis. In: GabbQl'd '$ Treatments of Psychiatric 

Disorders. Washinlrton DC: American Psvchiatric Pub1ishin~. 2007 (4th Edition): 621- 628. .... ~ - - ~- - ~ ~ ~ ~ -""----"'. - - - ~ ... " "-" """" --- -

9 
Braun 1M. Barsky AJ: Approach to the somatizing patient. In: Goroll AH~ Mulley AG, 

eds. Primary Care .Medicine~ ". Edition. New York, NY: Lippincott WiUiams and 

Wilkins~ 2009: 1476-1480. 

Braun 1M, Barsky AJ: Approach to the aIlgry patient In: Goroll All, Mulley AG, eds. 

Primary Care Medicine, 61h Edition. Nevil" York, NY: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 

2009: 1481-1483. 

Books: 

Barsky AJ. Deans. EC. Stop Being Your Symptoms and Start Being Yourself. New York: 

HarperCollins, 2006. 

(v) Previous testimony 

I have not testified as an expert at trial or by deposition in any case in the past four years. 

(vi) Compensation 

I am being compensated at the rat~ of$450. per hour for all work in connection with. this 

case. 

10 
Curriculum Vitae 

Date Prepared: January 5,2010 

Name: Arthur J Barsky, III 

Office Address: Vice Chair for Research, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's 

Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115 

Home Address: 

Work Phone: 

Work E-Mail: 

Work FAX: 

Place of Birth: 

Education: 

268 Prince Street, West Newton, MA 02465 

(617) 732-5236 

abarsky@partners.org 

(617) 278-6907 

New York, NY 

1964 B.A. Williams College; Williamstown, Massachusetts 

1969 M.D. Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons; New York, New York 

1996 M.A. Harvard University (Honorary); Cambridge, Massachusetts 

Postdoctoral Training: 

Internship and Residency: 

July 1969-June 1970 Intern in Medicine, Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, New York 

July 1973-June 1976 Resident in Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 

Boston, Massachusetts 

Licensure and Certification: 

1973 California Certificate No. 03501376 

1973 New York License No. 106675 

1973 Massachusetts License Registration No. 35602 

1977 American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Certificate No. 16696 

Academic Appointments: 

1973-1976 

1976-1979 

1980-1987 

1987-1996 

1996-

Clinical Fellow in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School 

Instructor in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School 

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School 

Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School 

Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School 

C:\DoCumenLS and Scnings\12832\Loc.al Scuings\Temporarylnlcmet Filcs\Conlcnt.OUltook\RYST4GYVWB CV Harvard Formal 1 2010.doc 

February 18,2010 
Hospital Appointments: 

1976-1978 

1976-1980 

1979-1981 

1982-1986 

1987-1989 

1990-

1993-

Clinical Assistant in Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital 

Staff Psychiatrist, The Cambridge Hospital 

Assistant in Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital 

Assistant Psychiatrist, Massachusetts General Hospital 

Associate Psychiatrist, Massachusetts General Hospital 

Psychiatrist, Massachusetts General Hospital 

Senior Psychiatrist, Brigham and Women's Hospital 

Other Professional Positions and Major Visiting Appointments: 

1970-1973 

1980-1983 

1985-1989 

1989 

1992 

1996 

1998 

2002 

2006 

2007 

2009 

Senior Surgeon (03) U.S. Public Health Service. Health Services and 

Mental Health Administration, Department of Health, Education 

and Welfare 

Director, Acute Psychiatry Fellowship Program, 

Massachusetts General Hospital 

Fellow, Oliver Wendell Holmes Society, Harvard Medical School 

Roerig Visiting Professor in Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin Medical 

School, Milwaukee Clinical Campus 

Visiting Professor of Psychiatry, University ofIllinois College of 

Medicine at Urbana-Champaign 

Pfizer Visiting Professor of Psychiatry, Georgetown University School of 

Medicine 

Visiting Professor, Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry, Allegheny 

University ofthe Health Sciences 

Visiting Professor, Department of Medicine, Susquehana Health Systems 

Visiting Scholar, Positive Psychology Center, University of Pennsylvania 

Chambers Visiting Professor, Dartmouth Medical School 

American Psychosomatic Society Interest Group Visiting Professor, 

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey 

Administrative Leadership Positions: 

1976-1985 

1977-1993 

1979-1993 

1993-2001 

2001-2009 

2009-

Committee Service: 

Director, Acute Psychiatry Service, Massachusetts General Hospital 

Director of Psychiatry in Primary Care, Massachusetts General Hospital 

Director, Primary Care Psychiatry Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital 

Director of Psychosomatic Research, Brigham and Women's Hospital 

Director of Psychiatric Research, Brigham and Women's Hospital 

Vice Chair for Psychiatric Research, Brigham and Women's Hospital 

Harvard University and Harvard Medical School: 

1981 

1983-1985 

Harvard Medical School Committee on Teaching Psychiatry in 

Introduction to Clinical Medicine 

Working Group on Smoking Behavior, Institute for the Study of Smoking 

Behavior and Policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard 

University 

2 
Committee Service (cont.): 

1988-1989 

1994-2004 

1994-1998 

1995- 2002 

Harvard Medical School PatientlDoctor Policy Group 

Mysell Award Committee, Consolidated Department of Psychiatry, 

Harvard Medical School 

Director, Subcommittee on the Illness Experience, Harvard University 

MindlBrainlBehavior Interfaculty Initiative 

Faculty Fellow, Harvard University MindlBrainlBehavior Interfaculty 

Initiative 

Faculty Fellowship Committee, Harvard Medical School 

3 

1996- 2001 

1999- 2003 

2000-

2001-

Clinician Teacher Longer Service Promotion Committee, Harvard Medical School 

Board of Honors Tutors, Department of Psychology, Harvard University 

2003-

2008-2011 

Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry Research 

Committee (Chair 2003-2004) 

Senior Common Room Member, Lowell House, Harvard University 

Standing Committee on Promotions and Appointments, Harvard Medical 

School 

Massachusetts General Hospital: 

1976-1985 

1976-1985 

1978-1986 

1979-1986 

1986-1993 

1988-1993 

1989-1993 

1990-1991 

Residency Training Committee, Psychiatry Service 

Emergency Ward/Overnight Ward Committee 

Disaster Planning Committee 

Disaster Director, Psychiatry Service 

Out-Patient Policy Committee, Psychiatry Service 

Steering Committee, Psychiatry Service 

Research Committee, Psychiatry Service 

Spaulding Rehabilitation HospitallMassachusetts General Hospital 

Pain Program Review Group 

Brigham and Women's Hospital: 

1994-

1994-1995 

1996-1997 

1999- 2005 

1999-2005 

2000-2001 

2001- 2002 

2001-2003 

2001-2009 

2002-2003 

2003-2009 

2003-

2003-2005 

2005-

2005-

2006-

Chair, Career Development Committee, Division of Psychiatry 

Primary Care Psychiatry Task Force, Division of Psychiatry 

Chair, Primary Care ProviderlPsychiatry Task Force 

Partners Psychiatry and Mental Health Research Committee 

Research Council 

Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement Committee, Department of 

Psychiatry 

Dry Laboratory Research Space Committee 

Disease Management Initiative Committee 

Steering Committee, Department of Psychiatry 

Partners Psychiatry and Mental Health Chair Search Committee 

Trustee, Brigham and Women's Physicians' Organization 

Clinical Investigation Committee 

Clinical Research Planning Committee 

Neurosciences Center Strategic Planning Committee 

Brigham Research Institute Research Oversight Committee 

Harvard Longwood Psychiatry Residency Training Program Research 

Committee 
4 

Committee Service (cont.): 

2006-2008 

2009-

National: 

1977-1980 

1978-1979 

1982-1986 

1985-1986 

1989-1992 

1990-1992 

1997-2001 

1998-1999 

1998-1999 

1998-2003 

1999-2002 

2004-2006 

2006-2008 

2007-

2009-

High Performance Medicine Case Management Initiative 

Leadership Council, Department of Psychiatry 

Member, Massachusetts Psychiatric Society Committee on 

Emergency Psychiatry 

Member, Massachusetts Psychiatric Society Committee on 

Primary Care Medicine 

Member, American Psychiatric Association Advisory Committee to 

Revise DSM-ill Organic and Somatoform Mental Disorders 

Member, American Psychiatric Association Advisory Committee to 

Revise DSM-ill for Cross-Cultural Use 

Senior Advisor, DSM-IV Subcommittee on Psychological Factors 

Affecting Physical Conditions 

Senior Advisor, DSM-IV Subcommittee on Psychological Systems 

Interface Disorders 

Councilor, American Psychosomatic Society 

Member, National Institute of Medicine Task Force on Strategies to 

Protect U.S. Forces 

Member, National Research Council Advisory Group, Strategies to Protect 

the Health of Deployed U.S. Forces 

Member, External Advisory Board, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Research 

Infrastructure Support Program 

Member, Scientific Advisory Panel, American Psychiatric Institute for 

Research and Education 

Board Member, National Medical Follow-Up Agency, Institute of 

Medicine, National Academy of Sciences 

Member, Board on Military and Veteran's Health, Institute of Medicine, 

National Academy of Sciences 

Member, DSM-V Somatoform Disorders Work Group 

Member, National Network of Depression Centers 

Professional Societies: 

1976-1988 

1979-1987 

1982-

1988-2003 

1988-1997 

1989-1996 

2003-2007 

2007-

Member, American Psychiatric Association 

Member, Society for Research and Education in Primary Care Medicine 

Member, American Psychosomatic Society 

Fellow, American Psychiatric Association 

Fellow, American College of Psychiatrists 

Member, American Psychopathological Association 

Distinguished Fellow, American Psychiatric Association 

Distinguished Life Fellow, American Psychiatric Association 
Grant Review Activities: 

1992-

1993 

1993 

1998 

2003 

Editorial Activities: 

Ad hoc Member, Services Research Review Group, 

National Institute of Mental Health 

Member, Psychiatry Service Review Committee, Memorial SloanKettering Cancer Center, Cornell University Medical College 

Ad hoc Member, Behavioral Medicine Study Section, 

National Institutes of Health 

Ad hoc Reviewer, Clinical Psychopathology Review Committee, National 

Institute of Mental Health 

Ad hoc Reviewer, Special Emphasis Review Panel, Centers for 

Interventions and Services Research, National Institute of Mental Health 

Editorial Boards: 

1992-

1995-2000 

1997-

1998-2001 

1998-2004 

2001-2005 

Harvard Review of Psychiatry, General Editorial Board 

Somatization Newsletter, Editorial Advisor 

Journal of Psychosomatic Research, Advisory Board 

Harvard Review of Psychiatry, Clinical Challenges Editor 

Psychiatric Networks, Editorial Board 

Journal of Functional Syndromes, Editorial Board 

Ad hoc Reviewer: 

Archives of General Psychiatry 

American Journal of Psychiatry 

Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 

Psychosomatic Medicine 

Psychosomatics 

Journal of Psychosomatic Research 

Annals of Internal Medicine 

New England Journal of Medicine 

Journal ofthe American Medical Association 

Archives of Internal Medicine 

Journal of General Internal Medicine 

Gastroenterology 

British Journal of Psychiatry 

British Medical Journal 

Journal of Abnormal Psychology 

Honors and Prizes: 

1964 Williams College Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude, Graduation 

with Highest Honors, Benedict Prize, Sophomore Honors, Dean's List 

1990- Who's Who in the East; 23rd Edition 

1990 Dorfinan Journal Paper Award, Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine 

1990 Certificate of Teaching Excellence, Harvard Medical School CME course, 

Primary Care Internal Medicine 

5 
Honors and Prizes (cont.): 

1991 

1996 

1997 

2004 

2006 

2007-

2007 

2009-

Research Funding: 

Men and Women of Distinction, 4th World Edition 

Who's Who in Medicine & Health Care 

President's Guest Lecture, American Society for Surgery ofthe Hand 

President's Research Award, American Psychosomatic Society 

Boston's Best Doctors, Boston Magazine 

Best Doctors in America 

Partners in Excellence Award 

Who's Who in America 

1980-1983 Project Co-Director, N.LM.H. Training Grant #MHI6486; 

"Training for Acute Psychiatry in Mental Health Settings" 

1986-2008 Principal Investigator, N.I.M.H. Research Grants ROI-MH40487 01-03; 

MH40487 04-06; MH40487 07-10; MH40487 11-15; MH40487 16-19, 

"Hypochondriasis: Diagnosis, Description and Medical Care" 

1989-1996 Principal Investigator, N.H.L.B.L Research Grants ROI-HL43216 01-03; 

HL43216 04-07, "Cardiac Arrhythmias and the Perception of Symptoms" 

2000-2002 Principal Investigator, Aetna Quality Care Research Fund, "Ineffective 

Utilization, Somatization, and Undetected Psychiatric Disorder." 

2001-2006 Principal Investigator, N.LA.M.S. Research Grant ROI-AR47014, 

"Relaxation Response, Somatic Style and Rheumatoid Arthritis." 

2006-2011 Principal Investigator, NIMH Research Grant ROI-MH71688, "Treatment 

of Hypochondriasis with CBT and/or SSRI." 

2008-2011 Steering Committee Member, Positive Psychology and Physical Health 

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 

Teaching and Training: 

Formal Teaching of Residents and Fellows: 

1975-1976 

1976-1985 

1976-1993 

1976-1993 

1980-1983 

1981-1993 

1988-1993 

1993-2004 

Organized and directed "Charisma Conference", Psychiatry Service, 

Massachusetts General Hospital 

Acute Psychiatry Service teaching conference and case conference, 

Massachusetts General Hospital 

Supervisor, lecturer, and case discussant, Primary Care Program, 

Massachusetts General Hospital 

Introduction to Clinical Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital 

Principal Supervisor, Acute Psychiatry Fellowship Program, 

Massachusetts General Hospital 

Supervisor, lecturer, case discussant, Primary Care Psychiatry Unit, 

Massachusetts General Hospital 

Lecturer, case discussant, Acute Psychiatry Service; Psychiatric Inpatient 

Unit; Psychiatric Consultation Service, Massachusetts General Hospital 

Supervisor, Psychiatric Consultation Liaison Service, 

Brigham and Women's Hospital 

6 

., 
7 

Teaching and Training (cont.): 

1993-

2001-2007 

2002-2005 

2003-2008 

2004-2009 

2004-

2005-

2006-

2006-2008 

2006-

Case conference discussant, clinical supervisor, seminar leader, and 

didactic presenter for psychiatry (PGY ill & IV) and medicine (PGY I & 

II) trainees at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts General 

Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Cambridge Hospital and 

Neighborhood Health Centers 

Brigham and Women's Hospital, Humanistic Medicine, Department of 

Medicine 

Harvard Medical School Psychiatry 700 

Harvard Longwood Psychiatry Program Transition to Practice Seminar 

Director, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Psychiatry Department 

Research Seminar 

Harvard Longwood Psychiatry Residency, Critical Thinking in Psychiatry 

Director, Brigham and Women's Hospital Medical Psychiatry Service 

journal club 

Research Mentor, Harvard Longwood Psychiatry Residency Program 

Director, Brigham and Women's Department of Psychiatry Faculty Forum 

Academic Mentor, Medical Psychiatry Fellowship Program, Brigham and 

Women's Hospital 

Selected Lectures and Addresses: 

Academic Grand Rounds: 

1986 Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, Toronto 

1986 University of Massachusetts Medical Center 

1987 Louisiana State University School of Medicine 

1988 Court Street Clinic, Veteran's Administration, Boston, MA 

1989 Salem Hospital, Salem, MA 

1989 The Carney Hospital, Brighton, MA 

1989 Jordan Hospital, Plymouth, MA 

1989 Norwood Hospital, Norwood, MA 

1989 Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Hospital (Anesthesia) 

1989 University of New Mexico School of Medicine 

1989 University of Minnesota School of Medicine 

1989 University of Wisconsin Medical School, Milwaukee Clinical Campus 

(Medicine, Psychiatry) 

1989 Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital 

1990 University of North Carolina School of Medicine (Medicine, Psychiatry) 

1990 Hopital Cantonal Universitaire de Geneve, Geneva Switzerland 

(Medicine, Psychiatry) 

1990 Harvard Medical School, Mount Auburn Hospital (Medicine, Psychiatry) 

1991 Rush Medical College 

1991 Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI (Medicine, Psychiatry) 

1992 Dartmouth Medical SchoollNew Hampshire Hospital 

1992 University of Massachusetts Medical School 

1993 Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA (Medicine) 

1993 Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, RI 
8 

Selected Lectures and Addresses (cont.): 

1994 Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Mental Health Center 

1995 Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, UMDNJ 

1995 Oxford University, Warneford Hospital 

1996 Georgetown University School of Medicine (Medicine, Psychiatry) 

1997 Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Medicine) 

1997 Harvard-Longwood Combined Psychiatry Program 

1998 University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, TX 

1998 Harvard Medical School, The Cambridge Hospital (Medicine) 

1999 Newton Wellesley Hospital, Newton, MA 

1999 Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown, P A 

1999 Stamford Hospital, Stamford, CT (Medicine, Psychiatry) 

2000 Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Hospital, New York, NY 

2001 State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY 

2001 Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA 

2002 Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston, MA 

2002 Emerson Hospital, Concord, MA (Medicine) 

2002 Harvard Longwood Combined Psychiatry Program 

2003 Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital (Medicine) 

2004 Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge, MA 

2005 Exeter Hospital, Exeter, NH 

2005 Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH 

2007 Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA 

2008 Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital Pain Center 

2007 Harvard Medical School, Cambridge Hospital (Medicine) 

2008 Harvard Longwood Psychiatry Grand Rounds, Boston, MA 

2009 Brown University Alpert Medical School, Providence, RI 

Invited Public Lectures and Symposia: 

1987 Psychiatry Service First Anniversary Address, 

Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Medford, Massachusetts 

1988 Keynote Address, Opening Ceremonies, 

London-Ontario Regional Cancer Centre 

1989 Monadnock Summer Lyceum, Peterborough, New Hampshire 

1989 Conference on "Medically Unexplained Symptoms, 

University of Connecticut Health Sciences Center 

1989 Conference on "Healthy Pleasures," Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

1989 Keynote Address, "Health Professionals for a Transforming System," 

Maine State Health Policy Advisory Council 

1990 Symposium on Diagnosis and Management of Somatoform Disorders, 

Hopital Cantonal Universitaire de Geneve, Geneva, Switzerland 

1991 Special Lecture, Ontario Psychiatric Association 71 st Annual Meeting 

1991 Symposium on Somatization and Panic Disorder, 

University of Washington, Department of Psychiatry 

1993 Annual Scientific Symposium, Southern California Psychiatric Society 

1994 Keynote Address, Symposium on "Functional Somatic Symptoms and 

Syndromes," University of Montreal, Faculty of Medicine 
Selected Lectures and Addresses (cont.): 

1995 Plenary Address, Royal College of Psychiatrists Liaison Section, 

Cambridge, England 

1997 Keynote Address, Psychosomatic Medicine Research Day, University of 

Toronto, Faculty of Medicine 

1997 International Symposium on Somatoform Disorders, World Health 

Organization, Prien, Germany 

1997 Robert Kellner Research Lecture, University of New Mexico School of 

Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico 

1998 Keio University International Symposium on Somatoform Disorders, 

Tokyo, Japan 

1998 Fifth International Symposium, Controversies in Psychiatry, Barcelona, 

Spain 

9 

1998 Symposium on Anxiety Disorders, Argentine Congress of Psychiatry, Mar 

del Plata, Argentina 

1998 Keynote Address, Japanese Society of Psychosomatic Medicine, Niigata 

Japan 

1999 Seventh Biennial RegenstriefInstitute Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana 

1999 Pathophysiological Models of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, Key 

Biscayne, Florida 

2000 Introductory Address, First International Congress on Functional 

Syndromes, Milan, Italy 

2001 Seventh International Symposium, Controversies in Psychiatry, Barcelona, 

Spain 

2001 Canadian Ministry of Defense Symposium on Multiple Chemical 

Sensitivity, Ottawa, Canada 

2002 International Congress on Somatoform Disorders, Marburg, Germany 

2002 Association of European Psychiatrists, 11th Congress, Stockholm, Sweden 

2002 VI Congreso Nacional de Pisquiatria, Barcelona, Spain 

2003 International Conference, The Placebo, Warsaw, Poland 

2003 Royal College of Psychiatrists, Edinburgh, Scotland 

2004 President's Guest Lecture, American Psychosomatic Society, Orlando, 

Florida 

2004 American Association for the Advancement of Science, Seattle, 

Washington 

2004 Peter Mencher Memorial Lecture, Winchester Hospital, Winchester, 

Massachusetts 

2004 VI International Seminar on the State ofthe Art in Mental Health, Las 

Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain 

2005 18th World Congress on Psychosomatic Medicine, Kobe, Japan 

2006 Keynote Address, Annual Meeting, Alberta Psychiatric Association 

2006 Plenary Address, Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine, Tucson, Arizona 

2007 Invited Plenary Address, Royal Society of Medicine, Manchester, UK 

2009 Boston University Clinical Psychology Department Colloquium 
10 

Original Reports: 

1. Freidin RB, Barsky AJ, Levine D, Fox RC, Williams S. Medical education and physician 

behavior. J Med Educ 1972; 47:163-168. 

2. Levine D, Barsky AJ, Fox RC, Freidin RB, Williams S. Trends in medical education 

research. J Med Educ 1974; 49:129-136. 

3. Gillum RF, Barsky AJ. Diagnosis and management of patient noncompliance. JAMA 

1974; 228:1563-1567. 

4. Tancredi LT, Barsky AJ. Technology and health care decision making. Med Care 1974; 

12:845-859. 

5. Barsky AJ. Patient heal thyself: Activating the ambulatory medical patient. J Chron Dis 

1976; 29:585-597. 

6. Stewart RS, Barsky AJ, Stewart RM. Dynamic interactions affecting psychiatric research 

in a comprehensive health center. J Arner Med Woman's Assoc 1978; 33:470-478. 

7. Barsky AJ, Stewart RS, Burns BJ, Sweet R, Regier D, Jacobson AM. Neighborhood 

health center patients who use minor tranquilizers. Int'l J Addictions 1979; 14:337-354. 

8. Barsky AJ. Patients who amplify bodily sensations. Ann Intern Med 1979; 91 :63-70. 

9. Barsky AJ, Colpitts J, Green LJ. Walk-in patients' decisions about follow-up care. 

J Nerv Ment Dis 1979; 167:742-747. 

10. Barsky AJ. Defining primary care psychiatry: origins, opportunities, and obstacles. 

Comprehen Psychiat 1980; 21:221-232. 

11. Barsky AJ, Kazis LE, Freidin RB, Goroll AH, Hatem CJ, Lawrence RS. Evaluating the 

interview in primary care medicine. Soc Sci & Med 1981; 14A:653-658. 

12. Barsky AJ. Hidden reasons some patients visit doctors. Ann Intern Med 1981; 

94:492-498. 

13. Barsky AJ, Brown HN. Psychiatric teaching and consultation in a primary care setting. 

Psychosomatics 1982; 23 :908-921. 

14. Barsky AJ, Klerman GL. Overview: hypochondriasis, bodily complaints, and somatic 

styles. Arn J Psychiatry 1983; 140:273-283. 

15. Barsky AJ. Nonpharmacological aspects of medication. Arch Intern Med 1983; 

143:1544-1548. 

16. Richter JM, Barsky AJ, Hupp JA. The treatment of depression in elderly patients. 

J Fam Pract 1983; 17:43-47. 
Original Reports (cont.): 

17. Bursztajn H, Barsky AJ. Facilitating patient acceptance of a psychiatric referral. Arch 

Intern Med 1985; 145:73-75. 

18. Ellison JM, Blum N, Barsky AJ. Repeat visitors in the psychiatric emergency service: a 

critical review of the data. Hosp and Comm Psychiat 1986; 37:37-41. 

19. Barsky AJ, Wyshak G, Klerman GL. Hypochondriasis: An evaluation of the DSM-IIl 

criteria in medical outpatients. Arch Gen Psychiat 1986; 43: 493-500. 

20. Barsky AJ. Palliation and symptomatic relief. Arch Intern Med 1986; 146:905-909. 

11 

21. Barsky AJ, Wyshak G, Klerman GL. Medical and psychiatric determinants of outpatient 

medical utilization. Med Care 1986; 24:548-560. 

22. Goodson JD, Goroll AH, Barsky AJ, Treadway KK, Thibault GE, Stoeckle JD. The 

training of physicians outside the hospital. Arch Intern Med 1986; 146:1805-1809. 

23. Barsky AJ. Investigating the psychological aspects of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. 

Gastroenterology 1987; 93:902-904. 

24. Barsky AJ. The paradox of health. New Engl J Med 1988; 318:414-418. 

25. Barsky AJ, Goodson JD, Lane RS, Cleary PD. The amplification of somatic symptoms. 

Psychosom Med 1988; 50:5lO-519. 

26. Lane RS, Barsky AJ, Goodson JD. Discomfort and disability in upper respiratory tract 

infection. J Gen Intern Med 1988; 3:540-546. 

27. Barsky AJ, Geringer E, Wool C. A cognitive-educational treatment for hypochondriasis. 

Gen Hosp Psychiat 1988; 10:322-327. 

28. Barsky AJ, Wyshak G. Hypochondriasis and related health attitudes. Psychosomatics 

1989; 30:412-420. 

29. Ellison JM, Blum NR, Barsky AJ. Frequent repeaters to a psychiatric emergency service. 

Hosp and Comm Psychiat 1989; 40:958-960. 

30. Weinstein MC, Berwick DM, Goldman PA, Murphy JM, Barsky AJ. A comparison of 

three psychiatric screening tests using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis. 

Med Care 1989; 27:593-607. 

31. Barsky AJ, Wyshak G, Klerman GL. Transient hypochondriasis. Arch Gen Psychiat 

1000· iJ.7·7iJ.h_7C,? ......... -'''' .,., "", ...... -. 

32. Barsky AJ, Wyshak G, Latham KS, Klerman GL. The prevalence of hypochondriasis in 

medical outpatients. Soc Psychiat & Psychiat Epidem 1990; 25:89-94. 

33. Barsky AJ, Wyshak G. Hypochondriasis and somatosensory amplification. 

BritJ Psychiat 1990; 157:404-409. 
Original Reports (cont.): 

34. Barsky AJ, Hochstrasser B, Coles AN, Zisfein J, O'Donnell C, Eagle KA. Silent 

myocardial ischemia: is the person or the event silent? JAMA 1990; 264:1132-1135. 

35. Barsky AJ, Wyshak G, Latham KS, Klennan GL. The Somatosensory Amplification 

Scale and its relationship to hypochondriasis. J Psychiat Res 1990; 24:323-334. 

36. Barsky AJ, Wyshak G, Klennan GL. The relationship between hypochondriasis and 

medical illness. Arch Intern Med 1991; 151: 84-88. 

37. Zoega T, Barr C, Barsky AJ. Prediction of compliance with medication and follow-up 

appointments. Nord J Psychiat 1991; 45:27-32. 

38. Barsky AJ, Wyshak G, Latham KS, Klennan GL. Hypochondriacal patients, their 

physicians, and their medical care. J Gen Intern Med 1991; 6:413-419. 

12 

39. Berwick DM, Murphy J, Goldman P, Ware J, Barsky AJ, Weinstein M. Perfonnance of a 

five-item mental health screening test. Med Care 1991; 29:169-176. 

40. Wyshak G, Barsky AJ, Klennan GL. Comparison of psychiatric screening tests in a 

general hospital setting using ROC analysis. Med Care 1991; 29:775-785. 

41. Barsky AJ, Frank CB, Cleary PD, Wyshak G, Klennan GL. The relation between 

hypochondriasis and age. Am J Psychiat 1991; 148:923-928. 

42. Barsky AJ. Amplification, somatization, and the somatoform disorders. Psychosomatics 

1992; 33:28-34. 

43. Barsky AJ, Wyshak G, Klerman GL. Psychiatric comorbidity in DSM-III-R 

hypochondriasis. Arch Gen Psychiat 1992; 49:101-108. 

44. Barsky AJ, Cleary PD, Wyshak G, Spitzer RL, Williams JBW, Klerman GL. A structured 

diagnostic interview for hypochondriasis: a proposed criterion standard. J Nerv Ment Dis 

1992; 180:20-27. 

45. Barsky AJ. Palpitations, cardiac awareness and panic disorder. Am J Med 1992; 

92(Suppl1A):31-34. 

46. Barsky AJ, Cleary PD, Klerman GL. Determinants of perceived health status of medical 

outpatients. Soc Sci & Med 1992; 34:1147-1154. 

47. Barsky AJ. Hypochondriasis and obsessive compulsive disorder. Psychiatr Clin North 

_Mner 1992; 15:791-801. 

48. Barsky AJ. The diagnosis and management of hypochondriacal symptoms in the elderly. 

J Geriatr Psychiat 1993; 26:129-141. 

49. Barsky AJ, Cleary PD, Samie MK, Klerman GL. The course of transient 

hypochondriasis. Am J Psychiat 1993; 150:484-488. 
Original Reports (cont.): 

50. Barsky AJ, Coeytaux RR, Sarnie MK, Cleary PD. Hypochondriacal patients' beliefs 

about good health. Am J Psychiat 1993; 150:1085-1089. 

13 

51. Barsky AJ. A research agenda for outpatient consultation-liaison psychiatry. Gen'l Hosp 

Psychiat 1993; 15:381-385. 

52. Barsky AJ, Cleary PD, Brener J, Ruskin IN. The perception of cardiac activity in 

medical outpatients. Cardiol1993; 83:304-315. 

53. Barsky AJ, Wool C, Barnett MC, Cleary PD. Histories of childhood trauma in adult 

hypochondriacal patients. Am J Psychiat 1994; 151:397-401. 

54. Barsky AJ, Cleary PD, Sarnie MK, Ruskin IN. Panic disorder, palpitations, and the 

awareness of cardiac activity. J Nerv Ment Dis 1994; 182:63-71. 

55. Wyshak G, Barsky AJ. Relationship between self-ratings and physician ratings of 

general health, depression, and anxiety. Arch Fam Med 1994; 3 :419-424. 

56. Barsky AJ, Cleary PD, Coeytaux RR, Ruskin IN. Psychiatric disorders in medical 

outpatients complaining of palpitations. J Gen Intern Med 1994; 9:306-313. 

57. Wool CA, Barsky AJ. Do women somatize more than men? Gender differences in 

somatization. Psychosomatics 1994; 35:445-452. 

58. Barsky AJ, Cleary PD, Barnett MC, Christiansen CL, Ruskin IN. The accuracy of 

symptom reporting in patients complaining of palpitations. Am J Med 1994; 97: 214-221. 

59. Barsky AJ, Barnett MC, Cleary PD. Hypochondriasis and panic disorder: boundary and 

overlap. Arch Gen Psychiat 1994; 51:918-925. 

60. Wyshak G, Barsky AJ. Satisfaction with and effectiveness of medical care in relation to 

anxiety and depression: patient and physician ratings compared. Gen'l Hosp Psychiat 

1995; 17:108-114. 

61. Barsky AJ, Brener J, Coeytaux RR, Cleary PD. Accurate awareness of heartbeat in 

hypochondriacal and non-hypochondriacal patients. J Psychosom Res 1995; 39:489-497. 

62. Barsky AJ. Somatoform disorders and personality traits. J Psychosom Res 1995; 

39:399-402. 

63. Barsky AJ, Cleary PD, Coeytaux RR, Ruskin IN. The clinical course of palpitations in 

medical outpatients, Arch Intern Med 1995; 155:1782-1788. 

64. Barsky, AJ, Borus, JF. Somatization and medicalization in the era of managed care. 

JAMA 1995; 274:1931-1934. 

65. Barsky AJ. Hypochondriasis: medical management and psychiatric treatment. 

Psychosomatics 1996; 37:48-56. 
Original Reports (cont.): 

66. Barsky AJ, Ahem DK, Bailey ED, Delamater BA. Predictors of persistent palpitations 

and continued medical utilization. J Fam Pract 1996; 42:465-472. 

67. Barsky AJ, Delamater BA, Clancy SA, Antman EM, Ahem DK. Somatized psychiatric 

disorder presenting as palpitations. Arch Int Med 1996; 156:1102-1108. 

68. Barsky AJ, Ahem DK, Delamater BA, Clancy S, Bailey ED. Differential diagnosis of 

palpitations: Preliminary development of a screening instrument. Arch Fam Med 1997; 

6:241-245. 

69. Barsky AJ. Clinical Crossroads: A 37-year old man with multiple somatic complaints. 

JAMA, 1997; 278:673-679. 

14 

70. Barsky AJ, Ahem DK, Brener J, Surman OS, Ring C, Dec GW. Palpitations and cardiac 

awareness after heart transplantation. Psychosom Med 1998; 60:557-562. 

71. Barsky AJ, Orav JE, Delamater BD, Clancy SA, Hartley LH. Cardiorespiratory 

symptoms in response to physiological arousal. Psychosom Med 1998; 60:604-609. 

72. Barsky AJ, Delamater BA, Orav JE. Panic disorder patients and their medical care. 

Psychosomatics 1999; 40:50-56. 

73. Barsky AJ. A comprehensive approach to the chronically somatizing patient. J 

Psychosom Res 1998; 45:301-306. 

74. Barsky AJ, Fama JM, Bailey ED, Ahem DK. A prospective 4-5 year study of DSM-III-R 

hypochondriasis. Arch Gen Psychiat 1998; 55:737-744. 

75. Brown RD, Kosslyn SM, Delamater BA, Fama J, Barsky AJ. Perceptual and memory 

biases for health-related information in hypochondriacal individuals. J Psychosom Res 

1999; 47:67-78. 

76. Barsky AJ, Orav JE, Ahem DK, Rogers MP, Gruen SD, Liang MH. Somatic style and 

symptom reporting in rheumatoid arthritis. Psychosomatics 1999; 40:396-403. 

77. Barsky AJ, Borus JF. Functional somatic syndromes. Ann Int Med 1999; 130:910-921. 

78. Barsky AJ. Understanding and managing hypochondriasis. Japan J Psychosom Med 

1999; 39:325-333. 

79. Vander Does AJW, Antony MM, Ehlers A, Barsky AJ. Heartbeat perception in panic 

disorder: Are-analysis. Behav Res Ther 2000; 38:47-62. 

80. Barsky AJ, Bailey ED, Fama JM, Ahem DK. Predictors of remission in DSM 

hypochondriasis. Comprehens Psychiat 2000; 41: 179-183. 

81. Borus JF, Barsky AJ, Carbone LA, Fife A, Fricchione GL, Minden SL. C-L cost offset: 

searching for the wrong grail. Psychosomatics 2000; 41 :285-288. 
Original Reports (cont.): 

82. Carbone LA, Barsky AJ, Orav EJ, Fife A, Fricchione GL, Minden SL, Borus JF. 

Psychiatric symptoms and medical utilization in primary care patients. Psychosomatics 

2000; 41:512-518. 

15 

83. Nakao M, Fricchione G, Myers P, Zuttermeister PC, Barsky AJ, Benson H. Depression 

and education as predicting factors for completion of behavioral medicine intervention in 

a mindlbody medicine clinic. Behav Med 2001; 26: 177-188. 

84. Nakao M, Fricchione G, Myers P, Zuttermeister PC, Bairn M, MandIe CL, Medich C, 

Wells-Federman CL, Arcari PM, Ennis M, Barsky AJ, Benson H. Anxiety is a good 

indicator for somatic symptom reduction through a behavioral medicine intervention in a 

mind/body medicine clinic. Psychother Psychosom 2001; 70:50-57. 

85. Barsky AJ. Palpitations, arrhythmias and the awareness of cardiac activity. Ann Int Med 

2001: 134:832-837. 

86. Nakao M, Myers P, Fricchione G, Zuttermeister PC, Barsky AJ, Benson H. 

Somatization and symptom reduction through a behavioral medicine intervention in a 

mindlbody medicine clinic. Behav Med 2001; 26:169-176. 

87. Nakao M, Fricchione G, Zuttermeister PC, Myers P, Barsky AJ, Benson H. Effects of 

gender and marital status on somatic symptoms of patients attending a mindlbody 

medicine clinic. Behav Med 2001; 26:159-168. 

88. Hammad M, Barsky AJ, Regestein QR. Correlation between Somatic Sensation 

Inventory scores and Hyperarousal Scale scores. Psychosomatics 2001; 42:29-34. 

89. Barsky AJ, Ahem DK, Bailey ED, Saintfort R, Liu EB, Peekna HM. Hypochondriacal 

patients' appraisal of health and physical risks. Am J Psychiatry 2001; 158:783-787. 

90. Barsky AJ, Peekna HM, Borus JF. Somatic symptom reporting in women and men. J Gen 

Int Med 2001; 16:1-10. 

91. Barsky AJ. Defining the functional somatic syndromes. J Funct Syndromes 2001; 1: 14-

20. 

92. Barsky AJ, Ettner SL, Horsky J, Bates DW. Resource utilization of patients with 

hypochondriacal health anxiety and somatization. Med Care 2001; 39:705-715. 

93. Barsky AJ. The patient with hypochondriasis. New Engl J Med 2001; 345:1395-1399. 

94. Nakao M, Barsky AJ, Kumano H; Kuboki T Relationship between somatosensory 

amplification and alexithymia in a Japanese psychosomatic clinic. Psychosomatics 

2002; 43:55-60. 

95. Nakao M, Kumano H, Kuboki T, Barsky AJ. Reliability and validity ofthe Japanese 

version of the Somatosensory Amplification Scale: clinical application to psychosomatic 

illness. Japan J Psychosom Med 2002; 41:539-547. 
Original Reports (cont.): 

96. Barsky AJ. Forgetting, fabricating and telescoping: The instability of the medical 

history. Arch Int Med 2002; 162:981-984. 

16 

97. Barsky AJ, Saintfort R, Rogers MP, Boros JF. Non-specific medication side effects and 

the nocebo phenomenon. JAMA 2002; 287:622-627. 

98. Rahman MO, Barsky AJ. Self-reported health among older Bengladeshis: How good a 

health indicator is it? The Gerontologist 2003; 43:856-863. 

99. Zane RD, McAfee AT, Sherburne S, Billeter G, Barsky AJ. Panic disorder and 

emergency services utilization. Acad Emerg Med 2003;10:1065-1069 

100. Creed F, Barsky AJ. A systemic review ofthe epidemiology of somatization disorder 

and hypochondriasis. J Psychosom Res 2004; 56:391-408. 

101. Barsky AJ, Ahem DK. Cognitive behavior therapy for hypochondriasis; a randomized 

controlled trial. JAMA 2004; 291:1464-1470. 

102. Sayar K, Barsky AJ, Gulec H. Does somatosensory amplification decrease with 

antidepressant treatment? Psychosomatics 2005; 46:340-344. 

103. Minden SL, Boros JF, Carbone LA, Barsky AJ, Fife A, Fricchione GL. Predictors and 

outcomes of delirium. General Hosp Psychiat 2005; 27 :209-14. 

104. Barsky AJ, Orav EJ, Bates DW: Somatization increases medical utilization and costs 

independent of psychiatric and medical comorbidity. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2005; 62:903-

910. 

105. RiefW, Barsky AJ: Psychobiological perspectives on somatoform disorders. 

Psychoneuroendocrinology 2005; 30:996-1002. 

106. RiefW, Avorn J, Barsky AJ: Medication attributed side effects in placebo groups: 

implications for the assessment of side effects. Arch Intern Med 2006; 166: 155-60 

107. Waldinger RJ, Schulz MS, Ahem DK, Barsky AJ: Mapping the road from childhood 

trauma to adult somatization: the role of attachment. Psychosom, Med 2006; 68: 129-135. 

108. Barsky AJ, Orav EJ, Bates DW: Distinctive patterns of medical care utilization in patients 

who somatize. Med Care 2006; 44:803-811. 

109. Gitlin DF, Caplan JP, Rogers MP, Avni-Barron 0, Braun I, Barsky AJ: Foreign body 

ingestion in patients with personality disorders. Psychosomatics 2007; 48: 162-166. 

110. Nakao M, Barsky AJ, Nishikatani M, Yano E, Murata K: Somatosensory amplification 

and its relationship to somatosensory, auditory, and visual evoked and event-related 

potentials. Neuroscience Letters 2007; 415:185-189. 
Original Reports (cont.): 

111. Engel CC, Locke S, Reissman DB, DeMartino R, Kutz I, McDonald M, Barsky AJ: 

Terrorism, trauma, and mass casualty triage: How might we solve the latest mindlbody 

problem? Biosecurity and Bioterrorism 2007; 5:155-163. 

112. Stuart S, Noyes R, Starcevic V, Barsky AJ: An integrative approach to somatoform 

disorders combining interpersonal and cognitive-behavioral theory and techniques. J 

Contemp Psychother 2008; 38:45-53. 

113. Busse JW, Reid S, Leznoff A, Barsky A, Qureshi R, Guyatt GH, for the Medically 

Unexplained Syndromes Study Group: Managing environmental sensitivities: An 

overview illustrated with a case report. J Can Chiropr Assoc 2008; 52:88-95 

114. Nakao M, Barsky AJ: Clinical application of somatosensory amplification in 

psychosomatic medicine. BioPsychoSocial Med 2007; 1: 17 doi: 1 0.1186/1751 

115. Braun IM, Liang MH, Orav EJ, Barsky AJ: A personality characteristic, somatic 

absorption, and the perception of somatic symptoms in rheumatoid arthritis patients. J 

Rheumatol2008; 35:1-8. 

116. De Marinis V, Barsky AJ, Antin JH, Chang G: Health psychology and depressive 

disorders in mid-term HSCT recipients: a pilot study. European J Cancer Care 2009; 

18:57-63. 

17 

117. Harris AM, Orav EJ, Bates DW, Barsky AJ: Somatization increases disability independent 

of comorbidity. J Gen Intern Med 2009; 24:155-161. 

118. Sakai R, Nestoriuc Y, Nolido NY, Barsky AJ: The prevalence of personality disorders in 

hypochondriasis. J Clin Psychiat 2009; Accepted for publication. 

119. ReifW, Nestoriuc Y, Weiss S, Welzel E, Barsky AJ, Hofmann SG: Meta-analysis of the 

placebo response in antidepressant trials. J Affect Disord 2009; Accepted for pUblication. 

120. RiefW, Nestoriuc Y, von Lilienfeld-Toal A, Dogan I, Schreiber F, Hofmann S, Barsky 

AJ, Avom J: Differences in adverse effect reporting in placebo groups in SSRI and 

tricyclic antidepressant trials. Drug Safety 2009; Accepted for pUblication. 

121. Vranceanu AM, Barsky AJ, Ring D: Psychosocial aspects of disabling musculoskeletal 

pain. J Bone Joint Surg 2009; 91:2014-2018. 

122. Green J, Querques J, Barsky A, Notman N: Somatic preoccupations of future pregnancy. 

Harv Rev Psychiatry 2009; accepted for publication. 

Reviews, Letters and Abstracts: 

1. Barsky AJ. Review of: Mumford E, Interns: From Students to Physicians. J Nerv Ment 

Dis 1974; 159:224-225. 

2. Barsky AJ. Review of: Haynes RB, Taylor DW, Sackett DL, Compliance in Health Care. 

Soc Sci & Med 1980; 14:229-230. 

l· 
18 

Reviews, Letters and Abstracts (cont.): 

3. Barsky AJ. Review of: Williams P, Clare A, Psychosocial Disorders in General Practice. 

Soc Sci & Med 1982; 16:843. 

4. Barsky AJ, Klerman GL. Hypochondriasis. Harvard Medical School Mental Health 

Letter 1985; 2:4-6. 

5. Barsky AJ. The Medical Forum: Pain and Suffering. Harvard Medical School Health 

Letter 1986; 11:5-8. 

6. Barsky AJ. The Paradox of Health (In Reply). New Engl J Med 1988; 319:378-379. 

7. Barsky AJ. Fitness Mania: The body as our temple. Harvard Medical Alumni Bulletin 

1989 (Spring); 11-15. 

8. Barsky AJ, Coles NA, O'Donnell C, Eagle KA. Denial and silent ischemia: which comes 

first? (In Reply). JAMA 1991; 265:213. 

9. Barsky AJ, Wyshak G, Klerman GL. Transient hypochondriasis: a new somatoform 

diagnosis? (In Reply). Arch Gen Psychiat 1991; 48:955-956. 

10. Barsky AJ, Brener J, Ring C. Clinical aspects of cardiac interoception: cardiac patients 

versus age-matched controls. Psychophysioll991; 28 (supp13A):SI1. 

11. Coles NA, O'Donnell C, Muluk V, Zisfein JP, Barsky AJ, Hochstrasser B, et al. 

Comparative usefulness of pre-discharge Holter and Thallium for post-MI risk 

stratification. Circulation 1992; 86 (suppl):I-139. 

12. Barsky AJ, Cleary PD, Coeytaux RR, Ruskin IN. Psychiatric disorder in medical 

outpatients complaining of palpitations. Psychosom Med 1993; 55:130-131 (Abstr). 

13. Barsky AJ. Forum: How does hypochondriasis differ from normal concerns about 

health? Harvard Mental Health Letter 1993; 10:8. 

14. Barsky AJ. Gerald L. Klerman: Teacher, Mentor, Educator. Harvard Rev Psychiat 1994; 

1:305. 

15. Barsky AJ, Borus JF. Somatization & Medicalization (In Reply). JAMA 1996; 275: 

1399. 

16. Barsky AJ, Baszenger I, Bradley L, Casey K, Chapman CR, Gracely R, et al. 

Perspectives on pain-related suffering: presentations and discussions. Adv Mind-Body 

Med 1998; 14:167-203. 

17. Barsky AJ, Borus JF. Functionai Somatic Syndromes (In Repiy). Ann Int IvIed 2000; 

132:329-330. 

18. Barsky AJ. Hypochondriasis (In Reply). New Engl J Med 2002; 346:783-784. 
Reviews, Letters and Abstracts (cont.): 

19. Barsky AJ, Rogers MP, Borus JF. The nocebo and medication side-effects (In Reply). 

JAMA 2002; 287:2502 

20. Barsky, AJ, Ahem, DK. Interventions for hypochondriasis in primary care (In Reply). 

JAMA 2004; 292:42-43 

Chapters: 

1. Barsky AJ. Applications of psychiatry to primary care medicine. In: Lazare A, ed. 

Out-Patient Psychiatry: Diagnosis and Treatment. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 

1979:548-560. 

2. Barsky AJ. Psychiatric and behavioral problems. In: Goroll AB, May L, Mulley A, eds. 

Primary Care Medicine. Philadelphia: JB Lippincott Co., 1981 (1 st Edition):788-818; 

1986 (2nd Edition):932-936; 2000 (4th Edition): 1183-1188 

19 

3. Stoeckle JD, Barsky AJ. Attributions: uses of social science knowledge in the 

"doctoring" of primary care. In: Eisenberg L, Kleinman A, eds. The Relevance of Social 

Science for Medicine. Boston: DReidel, 1981 :233-240. 

4. Barsky AJ. Acute psychosis. In: Bassuk E, Jacobs D, eds. Emergency Psychiatric Care. 

New York: Plenum Press, 1984:195-218. 

5. Barsky AJ. Somatoform Disorders. In: Kaplan HI, Sadock BJ, eds. Comprehensive 

Textbook of Psychiatry. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, (Fifth Edition), 

1989:1009-1027. 

6. Barsky AJ. The First Week in July. In: Messner E, Schwartz J, Groves JE, eds. 

Autognosis-Psychotherapists Analyze Themselves. New York: Jason Aronson, Inc., 

1989:8-11. 

7. Barsky AJ. Patients Who Amplify Bodily Sensations. In: Garza-Trevino ES, ed. 

Medical Psychiatry; Theory and Practice, Voll. Teaneck, NJ: World Scientific, 

1989:203-232. 

8. Barsky AJ. Somatoform Disorders. In: Hyman SE, Jenike MA, eds. Manual of Clinical 

Problems in Psychiatry. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1990:177-189. 

9. Cassem NH, Barsky AJ. Functional Somatic Symptoms and Somatoform Disorders. In: 

Cassem NH, ed. Massachusetts General Hospital Handbook of General Hospital 

Psychiatry. St. Louis, MO: Mosby-Year Book, Inc., 1991:131-158. 

10. Barsky, AJ. Hypochondriasis. In: OCD Casebook, Vol II: Spectrum Disorders. 

Fairview, NJ: CoCensys, 1995:1-8. 
Chapters (cont.): 

11. Barsky AJ, Stem TA, Greenberg DB, Cassem NH. Functional Somatic Symptoms and 

Somatoforrn Disorders. In: Cassem NH, Stem TA, Rosenbaum JF, Jellinek MS, 

Fricchone GL, eds. Massachusetts General Hospital Handbook of General Hospital 

Psychiatry. St. Louis, MO: Mosby, 1997 (4th Edition):305-330; 2004 (5th Edition):269-

291. 

12. Barsky AJ. The Validity of Bodily Symptoms in Medical Outpatients. In: Stone A, 

Turkann JS, Bachrach CA, Jobe JB, Kurtzman HS, Cain VS, eds. The Science of SelfReport: Implications for Research and Practice. New York: Lawrence Erlbaum, 1999: 

339-361. 

13. Barsky AJ. Hypochondriasis. In: Ono Y, Janca A, Asai M, Sartorius N, eds. 

20 

Somatoform Disorders: A Worldwide Perspective. Tokyo: Springer-Verlag, 1999: 73-79. 

14. Barsky AJ. Somatosensory Amplification and Hypochondriasis. In: Starcevic V, Lipsitt 

DR, eds. Hypochondriasis: Clinical, Theoretical and Treatment Aspects. New York: 

Oxford University Press, 2000: 223-248. 

15. Barsky AJ. Psychiatric and Behavioral Aspects of Cardiovascular Disease. In: 

Braunwald E, Zipes DP, Libby P, eds. Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular 

Medicine. Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders Co., 2001 (6th Edition):2244-2261; 2004 (7th 

Edition):2129-2144. 

16. Minden S, Saintfort R, Barsky AJ: Anxiety Disorders. In: Branch WI, ed. Office Practice 

of Medicine. St. Louis, MO: Mosby-Year Book, Inc.,2003 (4th Edition):1199-1214. 

17. Barsky AJ: Doctor, Are You Sure My Heart is OK? Cognitive Behavioral Treatment of 

Hypochondriasis. In: Spitzer RL, First MB, Williams JBW, Gibbon M: DSM-IV TR 

Casebook, Volume 2. Washington, DC: American Psychiatry Publishing, Inc, 2006: 251-

595. 

18. Fallon BA, Barsky AJ: Hypochondriasis. In: Gabbard's Treatments of Psychiatric 

Disorders. Washington DC: American Psychiatric Publishing, 2007 (4th Edition): 621-

628. 

19. Braun 1M, Barsky AJ: Approach to the somatizingpatient. In: Goroll AH, Mulley AG, 

eds. Primary Care Medicine, 6th Edition. New York, NY: Lippincott Williams and 

Wilkins, 2009: 1476-1480. 

20. Braun 1M, Barsky AJ: Approach to the angry patient. In: Goroll AH, Mulley AG, eds. 

Primary Care Medicine, 6th Edition. New York, NY: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 

2009: 1481-1483. 
Books: 

1. Barsky AJ. Worried Sick; Our Troubled QuestJor Wellness. Boston: Little, Brown and 

Co., 1988. 

21 

2. Barsky AJ, Deans, EC. Stop Being Your Symptoms and Start Being Yourself New York: 

HarperCollins, 2006. 
Narrative Report 

Arthur J. Barsky, M.D. 

22 

My academic career has been primarily devoted to the clinical investigation ofthe process of 

somatization, the treatment of the somatoform disorders, and the palliation of somatic symptoms in the 

medically ill. I have completed a series ofR-01 investigations that have built incrementally on each 

other. These studies have been supported continuously for 22 years by the NIMH, NIAMS, and NHLBI. 

I began by conducting some of the earliest descriptive, phenomenological and epidemiological 

investigations of hypochondriasis in general medical settings. This descriptive work led to the 

development of a conceptual model of hypochondriasis as a cognitive and perceptual disorder of 

somatosensory amplification. This pathogenic model then led to the development of a cognitiveibehavior 

therapy that was manualized and tested in a large scale, randomized, controlled efficacy trial that 

demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful benefit 6 and 12 months after treatment. 

The next step was an effectiveness trial of this therapy in a typical, community primary care practice, a 

study now in its final year. I am also currently the Principal Investigator of a four-armed, randomized, 

controlled trial comparing this cognitive behavioral therapy with fluoxetine for the treatment ofDSM 

hypochondriasis. 

I have also applied this model of somatosensory amplification to examine the wide interindividual variability in symptom severity and role impairment among individuals with the same serious, 

medical illness. This has involved two studies of the relationship between cardiac arrhythmias and the 

report of palpitations, and a three-armed, randomized, controlled intervention trial of cognitive-behavior 

therapy to palliate symptom severity and improve role function in rheumatoid arthritis. These studies are 

compatible with the hypothesis that the same self-validating and self-perpetuating mechanism of 

symptom amplification that is active in hypochondriasis can also exacerbate the symptoms of major 

medical illness. 

This work has resulted in 121 original reports in refereed journals, including first authored 

papers in the New England Journal of Medicine (2), the Journal of the American Medical Association 

(6), the Archives of General Psychiatry (6), the American Journal of Psychiatry (6), and the Annals of 

Internal Medicine (4). I have also published 20 reviews and letters and 20 book chapters. I have also 

authored two books: Worried Sick: Our Troubled Quest/or Wellness (Little, Brown and Co.), and 

Feeling Better (Harper Collins). 

I have lectured and presented this work at numerous professional meetings regionally, nationally, 

and internationally. I have received the President's Research Award of the American Psychosomatic 

Society and am a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. I have been a 

Fellow of the American College of Psychiatrists, and have served on the Council of the American 

Psychosomatic Society. I am a member of the DSM V Somatoform Disorder Work Group. I have been a 

Faculty Fellow of the MindlBrainlBehavior Interfaculty Initiative of Harvard University, and chaired one 

of its interdisciplinary work groups on the experience of illness. I have been a Visiting Professor at the 

Georgetown University School of Medicine, the University of Wisconsin Medical School, the University 

of Illinois College of Medicine, Dartmouth Medical School, and the Allegheny University of the Health 

Sciences.