Assessment of the prevalence and somatisation of stress in the form of abdominal pain in school-aged children and adolescents

Introduction Somatisation is described as the physical manifestation of emotional distress. Pain is one of the most common forms of stress somatisation among the paediatric population. Stress somatisation in the form of abdominal pain results in chronic and/or recurrent gastrointestinal complaints encouraging to seek medical consultations, during which many diagnostic tests are performed, often intensifying the stress. Aim of the research This study aims to characterise the paediatric population most likely to experience somatisation of stress in the form of abdominal pain, including gender, in the age range of 10–18 years. Material and methods: A total of 698 preadolescents were recruited from schools across Poland (mean age = 14.8 ±2.05 years, age range: 10–18 years; 66.8% female). Children completed the authors’ survey questionnaire on stress, lifestyle, abdominal pain and gastrointestinal complaints. Results The majority of respondents, 75.4% (n = 416), experienced abdominal pain in stressful situations. Abdominal pain associated with stress somatisation was significantly more frequent in girls (86.4%, n = 324) compared to the boy group (52.0%, n = 92). Belonging to an age group of 16-18 years was associated with the abdominal pain of the highest intensity (p < 0.05). Conclusions The results suggest that stress somatisation in the form of abdominal pain is a common phenomenon, occurring more frequently and with greater intensity in girls. Identifying high-risk groups has been discussed as essentially helpful for an early response and effective prevention of its consequences.