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A Longitudinal Study of Somatic Complaints in Urban Adolescents: The Role of Internalizing Psychopathology and Somatic Anxiety

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Abstract

Despite the frequent association between anxiety and somatization, the role of somatic anxiety—a tendency to experience somatic sensations, when anxious—in relationship to persistent somatic complaints has not been addressed previously. This study assessed the predictive role of internalizing psychopathology (anxiety, posttraumatic stress, depression) and somatic anxiety for somatic complaints over a 1-year period in a community sample of urban youth. The Social and Health Assessment, a self-report survey, was administered to 2,524 (mean age = 12.8, 54 % female) American urban adolescents in two consecutive years. There was significant continuity of somatic complaints over 1 year. Girls reported higher levels of somatic complaints and somatic anxiety than boys. All types of internalizing psychopathology significantly predicted somatic complaints over time. Somatic anxiety was associated with somatic complaints over and above the role of internalizing symptoms. Internalizing psychopathology and somatic anxiety should both be considered in the assessment and treatment of youth with persistent somatic complaints.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to Dr. Robert Vermeiren for his comments on the earlier version of the manuscript.

Author Contributions

VR conceived of the study, participated in its design and coordination, performed the statistical analysis and drafted the manuscript; MSS conceived of the study, participated in its design and coordination and helped to draft the manuscript. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, 751 85, Uppsala, Sweden

    Vladislav Ruchkin

  2. Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520-7900, USA

    Vladislav Ruchkin & Mary Schwab-Stone

  3. Säter Forensic Psychiatric Clinic, 783 27, Säter, Sweden

    Vladislav Ruchkin

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  1. Vladislav Ruchkin
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  2. Mary Schwab-Stone
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Correspondence to Vladislav Ruchkin.

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Ruchkin, V., Schwab-Stone, M. A Longitudinal Study of Somatic Complaints in Urban Adolescents: The Role of Internalizing Psychopathology and Somatic Anxiety. J Youth Adolescence 43, 834–845 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-013-9966-9

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