Biopsychosoc Med. 2008 Mar 21;2(1):8 [Epub ahead of print]

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Childhood physical abuse in outpatients with psychosomatic symptoms.

Handa M, Nukina H, Hosoi M, Kubo C.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: In Japan and Asia, few studies have been done of physical and sexual abuse. This study was aimed to determine whether a history of childhood physical abuse is associated with anxiety, depression and self-injurious behavior in outpatients with psychosomatic symptoms. METHODS: We divided 564 consecutive new outpatients at the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine of Kyushu University Hospital into two groups: a physically abused group and a non-abused group. Psychological test scores and the prevalence of self-injurious behavior were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: A history of childhood physical abuse was reported by patients with depressive disorders(12.7%), anxiety disorders(16.7%) , eating disorders (16.3%), pain disorders (10.8%), irritable bowel syndrome (12.5%), and functional dyspepsia(7.5%). In both the patients with depressive disorders and those with anxiety disorders, STAI-I (state anxiety) and STAI-II (trait anxiety) were higher in the abused group than in the non-abused group (p<0.05). In the patients with depressive disorders, the abused group was younger than the non-abused group (p<0.05). The prevalence of self-injurious behavior of the patients with depressive disorders, anxiety disorders and pain disorders was higher in the abused groups than in the non-abused groups (p<0.005). CONCLUSIONS: A history of childhood physical abuse is associated with psychological distress such as anxiety, depression and self-injurious behavior in outpatients with psychosomatic symptoms. It is important for physicians to consider the history of abuse in the primary care of these patients.

PMID: 18358076 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]