Do parents reinforce somatic complaints in their children?

Health Psychol. 2008 Mar;27(2):280-5. doi: 10.1037/0278-6133.27.2.280.

Abstract

Objective: To examine the influence of parental solicitousness on self-reported somatic complaints in school-age children.

Design and main outcome measures: Participants were 564 children (mean age 10 years) and their parents. Children completed self-report measures of somatic complaints, parental solicitousness, depressiveness, fear, and sense of coherence. Somatic complaints were assessed again 6 months later. Parents also completed a questionnaire about solicitousness.

Results: Parental solicitousness as reported by children or parents was unrelated to the frequency of self-reported somatic complaints. Symptoms of depression, fear, and lower sense of coherence were associated with more somatic complaints, but did not interact with parental solicitousness.

Conclusion: Parental solicitousness seems unrelated to more frequent somatic complaints in schoolchildren.

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Depression / diagnosis
  • Depression / psychology
  • Fear
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Internal-External Control
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Parent-Child Relations*
  • Reinforcement, Psychology*
  • Sick Role*
  • Somatoform Disorders / diagnosis
  • Somatoform Disorders / psychology*