Subjective Health Complaints In Adolescence Research Articles

Problematic Internet Use, Related Psychosocial Behaviors, Healthy Lifestyle, and Subjective Health Complaints in Adolescents

Objective: In this study, we explored Internet use-associated psychosocial behavior problems in relationship to adolescents’ subjective health complaints and healthy lifestyle habits. Methods: A cross-sectional sample of Latvian adolescents (N = 570, age range 11-19 years) completed a survey. Problematic Internet use (PIU) was assessed by the Problematic and Risky Internet Use Screening Scale (PRIUSS) that measures social impairment, emotional impairment, and risky/impulsive Internet use. Subjective health complaints assessed were somatic complaints and psychological complaints. Healthy lifestyle behaviors assessed were daily physical activity, time spent using information technologies (IT), eating habits, and sleep duration. Results: We found that 27.02 % (N = 154) of the participants scored at risk for PIU with significantly higher PIU mean scores in 15-16-year-old girls (p <.05). Also, 15-16-year-old girls reported significantly higher prevalence of subjective health symptoms than boys and girls in other age groups (p < .05). There were statistically significant associations between PIU-related psychosocial behaviors and subjective health complaints and limited physical activity (p < .01). Conclusions: PIU behaviors, subjective health complaints and lack healthy lifestyles were common in adolescents in this study with a significantly high prevalence in 15-16-year-old girls.

Gender differences in subjective health complaints in adolescence: The roles of self-esteem, stress from schoolwork and body dissatisfaction.

The aims of this study were to examine subjective health complaints among Norwegian adolescents and assess the development of gender differences in subjective health complaints between age 14 and 16; to investigate whether self-esteem, stress from schoolwork or body dissatisfaction affected adolescents' subjective health complaints; and determine whether these factors could explain the excess of subjective health complaints among girls. We used multiple linear regression analyses to analyse longitudinal survey data from 751 Norwegian adolescents at the ages of 14 and 16. The results from various cross-sectional and prospective analyses were compared. Girls reported more subjective health complaints than boys, and gender differences increased from age 14 to 16. Self-esteem and stress from schoolwork had cross-sectional and prospective associations with subjective health complaints. Stress from schoolwork at age 14 was also associated with changes in subjective health complaints from age 14 to 16. The cross-sectional mediation analyses indicated that self-esteem and stress from schoolwork accounted for 61% of the excess of subjective health complaints among girls at age 16. The same variables measured at age 14 accounted for 24% of the gender differences in subjective health complaints two years later. The investigated factors could not account for the increase in gender differences in subjective health complaints between ages 14 and 16. The findings showed that self-esteem and stress from schoolwork were associated with subjective health complaints during adolescence. These factors could partially explain the excess of subjective health complaints among girls.

Daily Smoking and Subjective Health Complaints in Adolescence.

Using data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey, this study used a repeated cross-sectional design to examine associations between daily smoking, gender, and self-reported health complaints in five cohorts of adolescents over a 16-year period. Data were from nationally representative cohorts of 15-year-old youth in Norway in 1993/1994, 1997/1998, 2001/2002, 2005/2006, and 2009/2010 (n total = 7761). Dependent variables were psychological, somatic, and total health complaints. A mixed GLM model examined main and interaction effects of smoking (daily, intermittent, nonsmoking), year, and gender in predicting complaints. Time periods were segmented to compare trends across smoking groups in specific periods. Prevalence of daily smoking declined from 15.5% (1993/1994) to 6.0% (2009/2010). All health complaint scores were significantly higher for smokers and for girls (vs. boys). Smoking status by year interactions were significant for all complaint variables during the period of sharpest decline of daily smoking prevalence (2001/2002-2005/2006), with daily smokers experiencing increases in health complaints while intermittent and nonsmokers did not. Smoking status by gender interactions were significant for all health complaint variables, indicating that the main effect for gender (females higher) was even stronger among smokers compared with nonsmokers. Using year as unit of analysis, the size of mean differences between daily smokers and intermittent/nonsmokers in total complaints was significantly negatively correlated with daily smoking prevalence (-.963, n = 5, p < .01). As prevalence of daily smoking declined, daily smokers reported higher levels of complaints, suggesting increasing health problems within this group. Girls who smoke daily had particularly elevated levels of complaints. This study indicates that the relationship between daily smoking and concurrent health symptomatology in adolescents is changing over time, with higher levels of health complaints reported as overall smoking prevalence declines. To our knowledge, this finding has not previously been reported. If youth are smoking to cope with distress, pain, or other health concerns, tobacco control objectives will be increasingly difficult to achieve with adolescents. Levels of health complaints are particularly high among girls who are daily smokers. The findings suggest that restrictive measures and persuasive communications may not be sufficient tobacco prevention strategies for adolescent populations. Young smokers may need counseling and support.

Perseverative thoughts and subjective health complaints in adolescence: Mediating effects of perceived stress and negative affects

Stable tendency to perseverative thoughts such as trait rumination and worry can influence somatic health. The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between perseverative thoughts and somatic complaints, and the possible mediating effects of perceived stress, negative and positive affectivity in adolescence. Having an acute or a chronic condition was also assessed to be controlled for and to reveal their effects on symptom reporting. Three hundred and six adolescents from 7th to 12th grade with mean age of 16.33 (SD = 1.29) participated in the study. Mediation analysis suggested that impact of trait-like perseverative thoughts on complaints were mediated by perceived stress and negative affectivity. Having an acute condition had also an effect on symptom reporting through increased negative affectivity. Our results highlight that ruminations or worry as stable intrapersonal characteristics are relevant processes in health and can be potential targets in prevention programmes in adolescence.

Selected family characteristics are associated with adolescents' subjective health complaints

This national study of schoolchildren in Greece investigated the association between adolescents' subjective health complaints (SHC) and a number of family characteristics. Questionnaires were completed by a random, school-based sample of children from 12 to 18 years of age, and one of their parents (76.6% mothers), in 2003. Data from 1041 adolescent-parent pairs were analysed. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to assess the associations between the adolescent's SHC and the following characteristics: parent's marital status, parent's physical and mental health status, parent's worries about their child's SHC, the parent-child relationship, family cohesion, family socio-economic status and the adolescent's sex and age. The analysis showed that the adolescents' SHC were independently and significantly correlated with poor parental subjective mental health status, poor quality parent-child relationships and parental worry. There were also associations between levels of SHC and female and older adolescents. Certain family features can be seen as potential contributing factors to SHC in adolescence and should therefore constitute complementary targets for prevention and treatment planning.

The association between stress, sense of coherence and subjective health complaints in adolescents: sense of coherence as a potential moderator

AbstractThe present study investigated the association between domain‐specific stress, sense of coherence (SOC) and subjective health complaints (SHC), as well as the possible moderation effect of SOC on the relationship between stress and SHC. The study is based on responses from 1183 adolescents 13–18 years old. The initial results showed that girls scored higher than boys on all stress domains and on SHC. Conversely, boys reported stronger SOC. Results from the hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed a significant association between increasing stress related to each of the stress domains of peer pressure, home life, school attendance, as well as to a higher level of SHC. SOC was inversely related to SHC. However, no moderation effect of SOC was found. The findings in the present study thus show that stress and SOC are separately associated with SHC. The results support the importance of improving coping efficacy with stress during adolescence. The results also give some preliminary support for the view that promoting salutogenic factors has positive implications in relation to subjective health in adolescents. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Subjective health complaints in adolescence: dimensional structure and variation across gender and age

Aims: The aim of this study is to investigate dimensional structures in subjective health complaints in adolescents and to examine the variation in levels and dimensionality across gender and age groups. Methods: Data from two studies were used: (1) a study based on a convenience sample, consisting of 1427 Norwegian students (11- to 15-year-olds) from schools participating in the European Network of Health Promoting Schools; (2) a nationwide survey amongst 7,059 Norwegian students (aged 11, 13, 15, and 16) from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. Subjective health complaints were measured by revised versions of the HBSC symptoms checklist (HBSC-SCL). Results: In study 1 confirmatory factor analysis revealed that a model of two highly correlated factors, which can be labelled somatic and psychological, fitted the data reasonably well (CFI = 0.91). This two-factor model was applied in study 2 and latent means were tested across sub-samples defined by gender and age. The results indicate that girls show higher mean levels compared with boys on both factors. There is also an indication of an increase in these factors with age amongst girls, while amongst boys there is less, if any, difference across age groups. The correlation between the somatic and psychological factors was virtually constant across age groups and gender. Conclusions: The identification of a somatic and a psychological factor indicates the existence of two different dimensions that may have different aetiologies. The gender difference in latent means across age groups may suggest a different developmental pattern amongst girls and boys.

Subjective health complaints in adolescence. A cross-national comparison of prevalence and dimensionality.

Child: Care, Health and DevelopmentVolume 28, Issue 1 p. 119-120 Subjective health complaints in adolescence. A cross-national comparison of prevalence and dimensionality. Richard Reading, Richard ReadingSearch for more papers by this author Richard Reading, Richard ReadingSearch for more papers by this author First published: 20 April 2002 https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2214.2002.0255f.xCitations: 3Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume28, Issue1January 2002Pages 119-120 RelatedInformation

Subjective health complaints in adolescence—Reliability and validity of survey methods

This paper studies test–retest reliability and validity of one measure of adolescent health complaints. The test–retest included an eight-item symptom checklist developed for the survey of Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (n=344). Qualitative analysis showed adequate validity for most items. For the total sample, all items were found to have adequate intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) in the range 0·61–0·75. There were inter-item differences and girls generally received the higher values. Most changes were within one category. Adolescents' understanding of 16 complaints was studied by interviews with 38 adolescents. A few items showed ambiguity in interviews despite adequate test–retest stability.