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Self-reported psychopathology, adaptive functioning and sense of coherence, and psychiatric diagnosis among young men

A population-based study

  • ORIGINAL PAPER
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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To study the associations between psychiatric disorders and self-perceived problems among adolescent boys.

Method

The study population consisted of 2348 Finnish boys born during 1981 attending obligatory military call-up (79.7% of the original sample). At military call-up in 1999, the boys filled in the Young Adult Self-Report (YASR) and Orientation of Life Questionnaire (SOC-13). Information about psychiatric disorders was obtained from the national military register during the years 1999–2004.

Results

Most of the psychopathology, adaptive functioning and SOC scales were associated with a variety of psychiatric disorders at follow-up. However, when the effects of scales were controlled in multivariate analysis, only YASR somatic problems and SOC-13 showed an independent association with a wide range of psychiatric disorders at follow-up. Poor SOC-13 predicted anxiety, depression, antisocial personality and substance use disorders. The YASR somatic problems scale predicted anxiety, depression, substance use, psychotic, and adjustment disorders. Self-reported delinquency and poor competence at school predicted substance use and antisocial personality disorders.

Conclusions

Self-reports of poor sense of coherence and somatic complaints have a non-specific association with a wide range of psychiatric disorders. Clinical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Finnish Cultural Foundation, Sigrid Juselius Foundation, and by research funding from Turku Municipal Health Department (EVO).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Turku, Kunnallissairaalantie 20, rak. 9, 20700, Turku, Finland

    Terja Ristkari RN, MNSc

  2. Dept. of Child Psychiatry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    Andre Sourander MD

  3. Dept. of Pediatrics, University of Tromso, Tromso, Norway

    John Ronning PhD

  4. Dept. of Biostatistics, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    Hans Helenius Msc

Authors
  1. Terja Ristkari RN, MNSc
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  2. Andre Sourander MD
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  3. John Ronning PhD
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  4. Hans Helenius Msc
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Terja Ristkari RN, MNSc.

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Ristkari, T., Sourander, A., Ronning, J. et al. Self-reported psychopathology, adaptive functioning and sense of coherence, and psychiatric diagnosis among young men. Soc Psychiat Epidemiol 41, 523–531 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-006-0059-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-006-0059-x

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