The development of psychiatric symptomatology in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Psychiatric symptomatology was compared in 61 cystic fibrosis patients, ages 8 to 15 years, and 36 cystic fibrosis patients, ages 16 to 40 years. When the prevalence of psychiatric symptomatology was compared in the two groups, a developmental pattern emerged: Symptoms of depression and anxiety were more frequent in the older group, while symptoms associated with eating disorders were more frequent in the younger group. Although duration of illness was longer and severity of illness was greater in the older group, these factors were largely unrelated to psychiatric symptomatology in either group. It is hypothesized that younger patients may express psychological distress through less direct means than older patients.