Relationship between expressed emotion and psychosomatic symptoms in adolescents

Abstract

Introduction: Concept of psychosomatic medicine refers to standing against soulbody separation by considering people with bio-psychosocial integrity. In this study, the associations between many physical symptoms most commonly seen in pediatric clinics and expressed emotions which are the reflection of the family conditions were investigated.Materials and Methods: Research sample of this study consisted of high school students going to the secondary schools in the Kocaeli-Gebze region in 2014-2015 school years. Data of the study were obtained by using Information Collection Form, Shortened Level of Expressed Emotion Scale whose validation and safety studies had been performed, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Psychosomatic Symptoms subscale.Results: In our study, it was found that girls have higher psychosomatic symptoms than boys. It was shown that psychosomatic symptoms of the youngs with chronic or mental illness are more than youngs without chronic or mental illness. Psychosomatic symptoms significantly increased with the presence of chronic physical or mental disease in the family. It was found that there are strong associations between expressed emotion and psychosomatic symptoms. It was observed that young people experience psychosomatic symptoms more intense with the lack of emotional support and families with high levels of intrusiveness and irritability.Conclusions: In our study; it was found that family conditions of the teenagers, presence of intrusiveness, irritability and the lack of emotional support are associated with occurrence of psychosomatic symptoms. These results highlight the importance of multidisciplinary approach to the evaluation of the young people admitted with psychosomatic complaints.