Children with recurrent abdominal pain and their parents: More somatic complaints, anxiety, and depression that other patient families

Patients presenting with abdominal pain were classified into two groups: the recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) group (n = * 41), consisting of patients without identifiable organic etiology for abdominal pain, and the organic group (n = 28), consisting of patients with organic findings (primarily ulcer-related conditions). A control group of well patients (n = 41) also partici-pated. RAP and organic patients had higher anxiety, depression, and somatic complaints than well patients, but did not differ from each other. Anxiety, depression, and somatization were greater in RAP mothers than well mothers. Father symptomatology did not differ for the groups. Results suggest that psychological distress does not discriminate between patients with and without identifiable organic etiology for abdominal pain. The high levels of anxiety and depression in RAP and organic patients suggest that they should be tar-geted in efforts to address "the new hidden morbidity " in pediatrics. KEY WORDS: recurrent abdominal pain; ulcers; anxiety; depression; somatization. Recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) is one of the most common symptoms of childhood, with an estimated prevalence of 10 to 15 % in school-aged chil-'This research was supported by a grant from the Vanderbilt University Research Council. The authors are grateful for the assistance of the Vanderbilt Division of Pediatric Gastroenterolo-gy which made this research possible. Thanks to Leonard Bickman and William Altemeier for comments on a draft of the manuscript