This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Berntsson, L. T. Articles by Gustafsson, J.-E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Berntsson, L. T. Articles by Gustafsson, J.-E. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Psychosomatic complaints in schoolchildren: a Nordic comparison

The Nordic School of Public Health, 7School of Education, Göteborg, Sweden, leeni{at}nhv.se

Lennart Köehler

The Nordic School of Public Health, 7School of Education, Göteborg, Sweden

Jan-Eric Gustafsson

University of Göteborg, School of Education, Göteborg, Sweden

Aims: This study investigates the association between psychosomatic complaints ( PSC) and background factors from children in the five Nordic countries, their families, and their social context in a model using proximal ( child) , intermediate ( family) , and distal ( society) levels. Similarities and differences between the countries were compared. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to the parents of a representative sample of 3,760 Nordic children aged seven to 12 years. The relationship between PSC and background factors was analysed using structural equation modelling. Results: Headaches and stomach complaints were most common. The prevalence was higher in girls than in boys. A LISREL analysis showed that determinants of PSC varied little between countries. The most important factors associated with PSC were the mother's health and well-being, the child's mental stability and social competence, and the family's socioeconomic status. Families with low education, blue-collar work, low income, and unemployed fathers were found to be most vulnerable . High risk factors could be infl uenced by other intervening protective factors. The greatest country differences were found on the distal level, where macroeconomic, legislative, and social factors dominated . Conclusions: The pattern of PSC was quite similar between the Nordic countries, although there were some small differences. The results also confirm that the determinants of PSC are multidimensional . Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the complex reality.

Key Words: children • family • Nordic countries • psychosomatic complaints • sense of coherence • social relations.

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Vol. 29, No. 1, 44-54 (2001)
DOI: 10.1177/14034948010290011001


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G. Gini and T. Pozzoli Association Between Bullying and Psychosomatic Problems: A Meta-analysis Pediatrics, March 1, 2009; 123(3): 1059 - 1065. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. K. Clausson, L. Kohler, and A. Berg Schoolchildren's health as judged by Swedish school nurses -- a national survey Scand J Public Health, September 1, 2008; 36(7): 690 - 697. [Abstract] [PDF]

				E. Clausson and A. Berg Family Intervention Sessions: One Useful Way to Improve Schoolchildren's Mental Health Journal of Family Nursing, August 1, 2008; 14(3): 289 - 313. [Abstract] [PDF]