Somatic complaints in pediatric patients: a prospective study of the role of negative life events, child social and academic competence, and parental somatic symptoms.

Abstract

This prospective study of 197 pediatric patients with chronic abdominal pain examined the role of negative family life events and several potential moderator variables (child social and academic competence, parental somatic symptoms, and child sex) in child somatic complaints 1 year after a clinic visit. Results indicated that (a) among children low in social competence at the time of the initial clinic visit, higher levels of subsequent negative life events predicted higher levels of somatic complaints at follow-up; (b) among boys in families with high levels of negative life events, those whose mothers were characterized by high levels of somatic symptoms had higher levels of somatic complaints at follow-up; and (c) children whose fathers were characterized by high levels of somatic symptoms showed higher levels of somatic complaints at follow-up, regardless of the level of life events. Possible mechanisms accounting for these findings are discussed.