Somatic Symptoms in Adolescents With an Ill Parent

Objective

Parent chronic illness may increase somatic symptomology risk in children. The current study examines this association in relation to a variety of chronic illnesses and also considers possible related parental and adolescent background factors.

Methods

Secondary analyses used longitudinal data from the University of North Carolina National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Interviews were used to assess demographics, adolescent somatic symptoms, living situation, and parental illness and general physical health. Somatic symptoms in adolescents with no ill parents (n = 2302 adolescents; Mage = 15.3) were compared with adolescents with ill mothers (n = 2336; Mage = 15.3), ill fathers (n = 1304; Mage = 15.3), or two ill parents (n = 3768; Mage = 15.3) using Poisson regression models. We also examined the role of living status, adolescent sex, and parent general physical health on somatic symptom outcomes.

Results

Elevated somatic symptoms were observed in adolescents with ill mothers (mean ratio [MR] = 1.15, p = .015) and with both parents ill (MR = 1.10, p

Source: Psychosomatic Medicine - May 1, 2022 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLES Source Type: research