Why do General Practitioners Decline Training to Improve Management of Medically Unexplained Symptoms?

cation with patients presenting medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) has the potential to somatize patients’ problems and intensify dependence on medical care. Se-veral reports indicate that GPs have negative attitudes about patients with MUS. If these attitudes deter partici-pation in training or other methods to improve communi-cation, practitioners whomost need help will not receive it. OBJECTIVE: To identify how GPs ’ attitudes to patients with MUS might inhibit their participation with training to improve management. DESIGN: Qualitative study. PARTICIPANTS: GPs (N=33) who had declined or accepted training in reattribution techniques in the context of a research trial. APPROACH: GPs were interviewed and their account