Somatic Complaints in Children with Anxiety Disorders and their Unique Prediction of Poorer Academic Performance

• Published in: Child psychiatry and human development Vol. 39; no. 2; pp. 211 - 220
• Main Authors: Hughes, Alicia A., Lourea-Waddell, Brittany, Kendall, Philip C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.06.2008; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Academic underachievement; Adolescent; Adolescents; Analysis of Variance; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Anxiety Disorders - epidemiology; Anxiety Disorders - psychology; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Child; Child & adolescent psychiatry; Child and School Psychology; Child clinical studies; Children; Comorbidity; Complaints; Control; Control Groups; Diagnostic Tests; Educational Status; Female; Humans; Identification; Internalizing behaviour; Interviews; Male; Measures (Individuals); Medical sciences; Original Paper; Prediction; Prevention; Psychiatry; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Regression Analysis; Separation Anxiety; Somatoform Disorders - epidemiology; Somatoform Disorders - psychology; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); United States - epidemiology; United States; Somatic complaints; Children; Anxiety disorders; Academic performance; Human; Academic achievement; School age; Adolescent; Prediction; Anxiety disorder; Somatic complaint; Anxiety disorders,Somatic complaints,Academic performance; Child; Preadolescent; School failure
• ISSN: 0009-398X; 1573-3327
• DOI: 10.1007/s10578-007-0082-5

The present study aimed to examine somatic complaints in children with anxiety disorders compared to non-anxious control children and whether somatic complaints predict poorer academic performance. The sample consisted of 108 children and adolescents (aged 8–14 years) assessed by a structured diagnostic interview: 69 with a principal (i.e., most severe and/or interfering) anxiety disorder diagnosis and 39 non-anxious community controls. Established child and parent report measure of somatic complaints, anxiety, and internalizing symptoms were completed. The participants’ primary teacher was used to assess academic performance. Findings indicated that children with anxiety disorders reported more somatic complaints than the non-anxious community controls. Furthermore, a greater frequency of somatic complaints uniquely predicted poorer academic performance beyond that accounted for by anxiety and internalizing symptoms based on both child and parent report measures. Knowledge about somatic complaints in children with anxiety disorders and their relation to academic functioning may allow for early identification and prevent academic problems.