Citation

Lavigne JV, Saps M, Bryant FB. J. Pediatr. Psychol. 2014; 39(1): 9-22.

Affiliation

Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Mary Ann and J. Milburn Smith Child Health Research Program, Children's Hospital of Chicago Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, and Department of Psychology, Loyola University Chicago.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/jpepsy/jst060

PMID

23942993

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether somatization mediates the relationship of coping styles and internalizing problems with abdominal pain. METHODS: 230 school children (M age = 11.80 years; 43.8% male; 21.3% White) completed measures of coping style, anxiety, and depression early in the school year, and subsequently reported abdominal pain symptoms weekly. RESULTS: The results showed (a) the association of anxiety and depression with abdominal pain may be mediated by somatization; (b) there are similarities and differences in the association of coping styles with pain for models including anxiety versus depression. Significant indirect effects showed higher levels of passive coping were associated with more pain via somatization and either anxiety or depression. For active coping, results differed for models including anxiety versus depression. Accommodative coping showed no independent relationship with abdominal pain. CONCLUSIONS: Somatization may mediate the relationship of internalizing symptoms and coping styles with pain. Treatment implications are discussed.

Language: en