This research study examined the empirical literature which describes the prevalence and manifestations of somatoform disorders among adolescents. A sample of five empirical research studies found in scholarly journals in the field of psychology, psychiatry, and medicine were reviewed. General conclusions regarding the prevalence, symptoms, and comorbid associations of somatoform disorders emerged from this brief review of literature.
Specifically, the literature reviewed in this study reveals that among adolescents, somatoform disorders tend to be most directly associated with a diagnosis of anxiety or depression. Females are more likely than males to report experiencing somatoform symptoms, but the condition is not rare in male adolescents. The most common symptoms associated with somatoform disorders among adolescents are headaches, gastrointestinal problems, and heightened levels of anxiety which can result in sleep deprivation.
The literature reviewed herein did not, however, permit the researcher to determine the actual extent of this problem among the larger population or to explore questions related to therapeutic interventions and their efficacy. The literature supports the notion that somatoform disorders emerge largely in tandem with or as a result of other problems which appear to be particularly common in adolescents.
The purpose of this report is to examine a small sample of research studies drawn from scholarly journals focused on somatoform disorders manifested by adolescents. As the review of literature which serves as the basis of this study demonstrates, somatoform disorder is relatively rare, is often comorbid with other psychiatric diagnoses, and is more common among females than males (Taylor, Szatmari, Boyle, & Offord, 1996). As the research will further reveal, somatoform disorders among adolescents are relatively rare but are generally associated with other psychiatric problems, includi...