Ana Carolina Melo de Carvalho, Fabiane da Fontoura Messias de Melo
The origins of psychosomatics are linked to the association between somatic illness and female bodies, a perspective later reinforced by discourses that biologized women’s suffering and disregarded the relevance of social determinants. In light of this, the study aimed to identify whether academic studies on psychosomatics in women, published between 2020 and 2025, consider gender as a social determinant in the understanding of somatization. This was a qualitative study, consisting of a systematic literature review conducted in the SciELO, BVS Saúde, and CAPES Journals databases. After identifying scientific studies published between 2020 and 2025, available in Portuguese and addressing psychosomatics in women, ten articles composed the final sample, whose data were interpreted through Bardin’s content analysis. The results indicated that 90% of the analyzed studies, although not specifically intended to deepen discussions on gender issues, considered gender a relevant category in female somatic illness. Among the main associated factors, gender dispositifs, the precariousness and vulnerability of women’s work, traumatic experiences, and violence against women stood out. It was concluded that recent literature tends to recognize gender as a relevant social determinant in understanding somatization in women, highlighting the influence of contemporary modes of production on processes of female subjectivation.