SOMATIC COMPLAINTS IN ANXIETY DISORDERED CHILDREN

The relationship between somatic complaints and anxiety in children has been noted clinically; however, our review of the empirical literature in this area yielded very few published investigations. In this paper, we examine somatic complaints in 158 outpatient, anxiety disordered children. Sociodemographic variables, diagnosis, symptomatology, familial psychiatric illness, and one-year outcome were compared for anxiety disordered youngsters who had somatic complaints (n=95) and anxiety disordered youngsters who did not have somatic complaints (n=63). Classification of children as "somatic" or "nonsomatic" on interview was substantiated by scores on somatic subscales from two self-report anxiety questionnaires. Two particular anxiety disorders-panic disorder and separation anxiety disorder-were significantly more likely to be associated with somatic complaints, while phobic disorders were significantly less likely to be associated with somatic complaints. Children with somatic complaints were more likely to be older (adolescent) and show school refusal than children without somatic complaints. Patterns of familial psychiatric illness and one-year outcome for the two groups did not yield significant differences. Implications of these findings are discussed. © 1991.