Self-report and stability of physical symptoms by adolescents

Verbal reports of physical complaints and their relationship to school-related stress was investigated in two adolescent samples. It was hypothesized that symptom reporting is a function of age and sex, and is connected to psychological factors such as test (state) and trait anxiety. In addition, the consistency of symptoms reported during the course of one year was evaluated. It was found that, overall, the two adolescent groups complained of more physical symptoms than did Brähler's (1978) adult sample. Differences between males and females in reporting symptoms were apparent only in the older adolescent group (ages 14 to 15); females reported more physical complaints. The positive correlation between body symptoms and test-trait anxiety was highly significant. During the year, few adolescents exhibited well-defined patterns of body complaints. On the contrary, many complaints seemed to be transient phenomena, although the number was high. In this respect, adolescence plays an important role in the self-reporting evaluation and development of physical complaints.