Antisocial behavior, somatization, and sensation-seeking behavior in mothers of clinic-referred children.
OBJECTIVE
The relationship between antisocial behavior and somatization was studied in a sample of mothers of clinic-referred, school-age children. The goal was to overcome some of the methodological limitations of past research in this area and to provide a preliminary test of the theory that these disorders share a common substrate: a tendency toward behavioral disinhibition.


METHODS
Structured diagnostic interviews and an objective personality measure were used to assess antisocial behavior and somatization in a sample of 90 biological mothers (mean age 34 years) of children referred to an outpatient mental health clinic. A rating scale measure of sensation-seeking behavior was used as a measure of behavioral disinhibition. Structured interviews were used to assess a history of antisocial behavior in the children and their biological fathers.


RESULTS
Results indicated a link between somatization and antisocial behavior both within individuals and across generations. This intergenerational link could not be solely accounted for by assortative mating between women with somatization and antisocial men. Both somatization and antisocial behavior were correlated with scores on the sensation seeking scale.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings are consistent with the theory that antisocial behavior and somatization are related syndromes and that behavioral disinhibition may be a common predisposition that underlies both.
Frick
P J
PJ
Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa 35487, USA.
Kuper
K
K
Silverthorn
P
P
Cotter
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D001143:Arousal; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*