A re-examination of childhood trauma and somatic preoccupation

In this study, we assessed five types of childhood trauma (i.e., physical, sexual, and emotional abuses; the witnessing of violence; physical neglect) and their relationship to somatic preoccupation in adulthood. Using a cross-sectional sample of convenience, we surveyed 113 individuals who were being seen as outpatients in an internal medicine setting and seeking non-emergent medical care. With yes/no response options, we inquired about five types of childhood trauma (i.e., physical, sexual, and emotional abuses; the witnessing of violence; physical neglect) and measured somatic preoccupation with the Bradford Somatic Inventory, a self-report measure. In this study, both physical and emotional abuses demonstrated significant correlations with scores on the Bradford Somatic Inventory. These findings suggest that physical and emotional abuses in childhood may have some relationship with somatic preoccupation in adulthood.