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Childhood Somatization Essay

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Somatization is the manifestation of psychological distress as physical symptoms such as headaches, stomachaches, body aches, dizziness, and fatigue (Mai, 2004; Taylor, Szatmari, Boyle, & Offord, 1996). These somatic complaints generally cannot be traced to any diagnosable medical conditions, however they are not fictitious and may be explained by biological mechanisms involved in the stress response as well as by changes in individuals’ perception of pain (Garber, Walker, & Zeman, 1991; Mai, 2004; Rief, Hennings, Riemer, & Euteneuer, 2010). Somatic disorders account for more productivity loss, unemployment, and healthcare usage than any other psychiatric disorder, indicating the need for further research into its many predictors and causes (Mai, 2004; Poikolainen, Aalto-Setala, Marttunen, Tuulio-Henricksson, & Lonnqvist, 2000; Rief & Auer, 2000). Among …show more content…

Somatic symptom disorders among children are especially common in low socioeconomic status (SES) communities, non-White ethnicities, and victims of childhood trauma or victimization, (Bailey, 2005; Reynolds, O'Koon, Papademetriou, Szczygiel, & Grant, 2001; White & Farrell, 2006), though there may be important differences in the types of symptoms reported by different racial and ethnic groups (Kingery, Ginsburg, & Alfano, 2007). For example, Rhee (2003) notes that rates of headache, body ache, and dizziness are higher in Caucasian populations, whereas urinary dysfunction, cold sweat, overheating, and chest pain are more common among African Americans. Rhee (2005) proposes that the ethnic disparity associated with these symptoms can, at least in part, be attributed to lower SES and higher rates of depressive symptoms among racial minorities, whereas, other symptoms may occur regardless of SES or comorbid

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