Children with Recurrent Abdominal Pain and Their Parents: More Somatic Complaints, Anxiety, and Depression than Other Patient Families?

Patients presenting with abdominal pain were classified into two groups: the recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) group (n = 41), consisting of patients without identifiable organic etiology for abdominal pain, and the organic group (n = 28), consisting of patients with organic findings (primarily ulcer-r...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of pediatric psychology 1989-06, Vol.14 (2), p.231-243
Main Authors: Walker, Lynn S., Greene, John W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abdomen
Adolescent
anxiety
Anxiety - psychology
Child
depression
Depression - psychology
Female
Humans
Male
Pain - psychology
Parent-Child Relations
Recurrence
recurrent abdominal pain
Sick Role
somatization
Somatoform Disorders - psychology
ulcers
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Summary:Patients presenting with abdominal pain were classified into two groups: the recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) group (n = 41), consisting of patients without identifiable organic etiology for abdominal pain, and the organic group (n = 28), consisting of patients with organic findings (primarily ulcer-related conditions). A control group of well patients (n = 41) also participated. RAP and organic patients had higher anxiety, depression, and somatic complaints than well patients, but did not differ from each other. Anxiety, depression, and somatization were greater in RAP mothers than well mothers. Father symptomatology did not differ for the groups. Results suggest that psychological distress does not discriminate between patients with and without identifiable organic etiology for abdominal pain. The high levels of anxiety and depression in RAP and organic patients suggest that they should be targeted in efforts to address “the new hidden morbidity” in pediatrics.
ISSN:0146-8693
1465-735X
DOI:10.1093/jpepsy/14.2.231