Self-reported psychopathology, adaptive functioning and sense of coherence, and psychiatric diagnosis among young men--a population-based study.
OBJECTIVE
To study the associations between psychiatric disorders and self-perceived problems among adolescent boys.


METHODS
The study population consisted of 2348 Finnish boys born during 1981 attending obligatory military call-up (79.7% of the original sample). At military call-up in 1999, the boys filled in the Young Adult Self-Report (YASR) and Orientation of Life Questionnaire (SOC-13). Information about psychiatric disorders was obtained from the national military register during the years 1999-2004.


RESULTS
Most of the psychopathology, adaptive functioning and SOC scales were associated with a variety of psychiatric disorders at follow-up. However, when the effects of scales were controlled in multivariate analysis, only YASR somatic problems and SOC-13 showed an independent association with a wide range of psychiatric disorders at follow-up. Poor SOC-13 predicted anxiety, depression, antisocial personality and substance use disorders. The YASR somatic problems scale predicted anxiety, depression, substance use, psychotic, and adjustment disorders. Self-reported delinquency and poor competence at school predicted substance use and antisocial personality disorders.


CONCLUSIONS
Self-reports of poor sense of coherence and somatic complaints have a non-specific association with a wide range of psychiatric disorders. Clinical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.
Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Turku, Kunnallissairaalantie 20, rak. 9, 20700, Turku, Finland.
Terja
T
Ristkari
Andre
A
Sourander
John
J
Ronning
Hans
H
Helenius
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005387:Finland; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012042:Registries; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires