Amplification (psychology)

Amplification is to amplify physical symptoms based on psychological factors such as anxiety or depression: "somatosensory amplification refers to the tendency to experience somatic sensation as intense, noxious, and disturbing. What may be a minor 'twinge' or mild 'sorenes' to the stoic, is a severe, consuming pain to the amplifier."

Psychological state has been documented to effect the course of upper respiratory tract infection, post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome , and musculoskeletal pain.

Amplification is not recognized by the American Psychiatric Association.

The Somatosensory Amplification Scale (SAS) has been validated to measure amplification. The scale contains four items measured with a 5 item Likert scale:
 * 1) Sudden loud noises really disturb me
 * 2) I'm very uncomfortable when I'm in a place that is too hot or too cold
 * 3) I can't stand pain as well as most people can
 * 4) I find I'm often aware of various things happening in my body
 * 5) I'm quick to sense the hunger contractions in my stomach

Amplification is related to alexithymia. Amplification may also contribute to multiple-drug intolerance (if the adverse effects that are reported are non-specific). It is unclear whether amplification is related to observations that Type A personality trait may be associated with delayed recovery after organic illness.