From the Department of Psychology (Elliott, Stager, Goodin), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; Department of Psychiatry (Elliott), University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas; Departments of Biostatistics (Long) and Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology (Fobian), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.
Psychosom Med. 2022 May 1;84(4):421-428. doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000001063. Epub 2022 Jan 28.
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.
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.
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 < .001). Among adolescents with ill parents, females had more symptoms than males (ill mother: MR = 1.12, p < .001; ill father: MR = 1.23, p < .001; and both parents ill: MR = 1.23, p < .001). Poorer maternal physical health also increased somatic symptom risk (MR = 1.12, p = .02). Longitudinally, adolescents with ill mothers (MR = 1.14, p < .001), ill fathers (MR = 1.13, p < .001), or both parents ill (MR = 1.16, p < .001) had increased somatic symptom risk. Wave I somatic symptoms also increased future risk: ill mother (MR = 1.19, p < .001), ill father (MR = 1.22, p < .001), or both parents ill (MR = 1.20, p < .001).
The results highlight that having an ill parent is a risk factor for adolescent somatic symptoms. In addition, other factors such as adolescent sex play an additional role in adolescent somatic symptoms.
父母的慢性疾病可能会增加儿童的躯体症状风险。本研究探讨了与各种慢性疾病的相关性，并考虑了可能相关的父母和青少年背景因素。
本研究采用了来自北卡罗来纳大学青少年向成人健康纵向研究的二次分析数据。访谈用于评估人口统计学、青少年躯体症状、生活状况以及父母的疾病和一般身体健康状况。将没有患病父母的青少年（n=2302 名青少年；平均年龄=15.3 岁）与患有患病母亲的青少年（n=2336 名；平均年龄=15.3 岁）、患病父亲的青少年（n=1304 名；平均年龄=15.3 岁）或患有两位患病父母的青少年（n=3768 名；平均年龄=15.3 岁）进行比较，使用泊松回归模型。我们还研究了生活状况、青少年性别和父母一般身体健康状况对躯体症状结果的作用。
患有患病母亲的青少年（平均比率 [MR]=1.15，p=.015）和两位父母都患病的青少年（MR=1.10，p<.001）出现了较高的躯体症状。在有患病父母的青少年中，女性的症状比男性多（患有患病母亲的青少年：MR=1.12，p<.001；患有患病父亲的青少年：MR=1.23，p<.001；以及父母双方都患病的青少年：MR=1.23，p<.001）。母亲的身体状况较差也会增加躯体症状的风险（MR=1.12，p=.02）。纵向研究显示，患有患病母亲的青少年（MR=1.14，p<.001）、患病父亲的青少年（MR=1.13，p<.001）或父母双方都患病的青少年（MR=1.16，p<.001）有更高的躯体症状风险。第 I 波的躯体症状也增加了未来的风险：患有患病母亲的青少年（MR=1.19，p<.001）、患有患病父亲的青少年（MR=1.22，p<.001）或父母双方都患病的青少年（MR=1.20，p<.001）。
研究结果强调，父母患病是青少年躯体症状的一个风险因素。此外，青少年性别等其他因素在青少年躯体症状中也发挥了额外的作用。
