Korean J Biol Psychiatry.  2007 Nov;14(4):256-261.

The Effect of Maternal State Anxiety on the Children's Somatic Symptom in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

• Kim G
• Shin DW
• Lee K

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The aim of the present study was to examine whether anxiety and depression of children and mothers were associated with the children's medically unexplained somatic symptoms in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder(ADHD).
METHODS
83 clinic-referred boys with ADHD and 52 boys without ADHD were included in this study. The frequency of the medically unexplained somatic symptoms, such as general-ache, headache, nausea, eye problems, skin problems, abdominal pain, vomiting was evaluated using the somatic symptom domain of the Child Behavior Checklist(CBCL). Children's anxiety and depression were evaluated using Kovacs Children's Depression Inventory(CDI) and Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI) for children. Maternal anxiety and depression were measured by Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI) and Beck's Depression Inventory(BDI). Stepwise linear regression analysis was used to examine the hypothesis.
RESULTS
Score of maternal state anxiety affects the T score of the somatic symptom domain in CBCL significantly(adjusted R2=0.057; p=0.026).
CONCLUSION
The frequency of medically unexplained somatic symptom of children perceived by mothers was associated with the high level of maternal state anxiety in ADHD. Frequent maternal report of the children's somatic symptom may be a warrant for the evaluation and management of the maternal state anxiety in ADHD.

Keyword

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; Somatic symptom; Maternal state anxiety

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain
Anxiety*
Child
Child Behavior
Depression
Headache
Humans
Linear Models
Mothers
Nausea
Skin
Vomiting