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Somatic complaints in children and community violence exposure

Beth Nordstrom Bailey1, Virginia Delaney-Black, John H Hannigan

  • 1Department of Family Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614, USA. nordstro@mail.etsu.edu

Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics : JDBP
|October 14, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Exposure to community violence in children is linked to increased stress and specific physical symptoms like headaches and stomachaches. This research highlights violence exposure as a potential cause for unexplained somatic complaints in children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Child Psychology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Somatic complaints in children are common in primary care but often lack clear medical explanations.
  • Previous studies suggest a link between violence exposure, stress, and somatic issues.
  • The specific relationship between community violence exposure and distinct physical symptoms in children requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the association between community violence exposure and specific somatic complaints in urban African-American children.
  • To determine if witnessing or experiencing community violence predicts physical symptoms such as appetite changes, sleep disturbances, headaches, and stomachaches.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 268 urban African-American children (aged 6-7) and their mothers were recruited before birth.
  • Data on community violence exposure (witnessing and victimization), stress symptomatology, and somatic complaints were collected through child, mother, and teacher reports.
  • Statistical analyses controlled for potential confounding factors including prenatal substance exposure, socioeconomic status, and maternal psychopathology.

Main Results:

  • Community violence exposure (witnessing and victimization) was significantly associated with increased stress symptoms.
  • Violence victimization was linked to decreased appetite, difficulty sleeping, and stomachaches.
  • Witnessed violence was associated with difficulty sleeping and headaches.
  • Community violence exposure explained 10% of the variance in child stress symptoms.
  • Children experiencing violence victimization had significantly higher risks for appetite problems, sleep disturbances, headaches, and stomachaches.

Conclusions:

  • Community violence exposure is a significant factor associated with stress and specific somatic complaints in young children.
  • Clinicians should consider assessing for violence exposure when evaluating unexplained physical symptoms in children.
  • Findings underscore the impact of community violence on child health and well-being, suggesting a need for targeted interventions.

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