Self-reported psychosomatic complaints and conduct problems 2 in Swedish adolescents

Abstract: Physical conditions in children and adolescents are often under reported during main 13 stream school years and may underlie mental health disorders. Additionally, comparisons between 14 younger and older schoolchildren may shed light on developmental differences in the way in which 15 physical conditions translate into conduct problems. The aim of the current study was to examine 16 the incidence of psychosomatic complaints (PSC) in young and older adolescent boys and girls who 17 also report conduct problems. 3,132 Swedish adolescents (age range 15-18 years, 47% boys) com 18 pleted the Uppsala Life and Health Cross-Sectional Survey (LHS) at school. LHS question scores 19 were categorised by two researchers who independently identified questions that aligned with 20 DSM-5 conduct disorder (CD) criteria and PSC. MANOVA assessed the effects of PSC, age, and 21 gender on scores that aligned with DSM criteria for CD. Main effects of gender; age; and PSC on 22 scores of conduct problem scores were observed. Adolescents with higher PSC scores had higher 23 conduct problem scores. Boys had higher serious violation of rules scores than girls, particularly 24 older boys with higher PSC scores. Psychosomatic complaints could be a useful objective identifier 25 for children and adolescents at risk of developing conduct disorders. This may be especially rele 26 vant when reliance on a child’s self-reporting of behavior may not help to prevent long-term dis 27 turbance to quality of life