title: Somatic complaints in anxious youth.
abstract: This study examined (a) demographic and clinical characteristics associated with physical symptoms in anxiety-disordered youth and (b) the impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy (Coping Cat), medication (sertraline), their combination, and pill placebo on physical symptoms. Youth (N = 488, ages 7-17 years) with a principal diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, or social phobia participated as part of a multi-site, randomized controlled trial and received treatment delivered over 12 weeks. Diagnostic status, symptom severity, and impairment were assessed at baseline and week 12. The total number and severity of physical symptoms was associated with age, principal diagnosis, anxiety severity, impairment, and the presence of comorbid internalizing disorders. Common somatic complaints were headaches, stomachaches, head cold or sniffles, sleeplessness, and feeling drowsy or too sleepy. Physical symptoms decreased over the course of treatment, and were unrelated to treatment condition. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00052078).
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Temple University, Weiss Hall, 1701 North 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Crawley
authors.forename: Nicole E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Caporino
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Birmaher
authors.forename: Golda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ginsburg
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Piacentini
authors.forename: Anne Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Albano
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sherrill
authors.forename: Dara
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sakolsky
authors.forename: Scott N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Compton
authors.forename: Moira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rynn
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McCracken
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gosch
authors.forename: Courtney
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Keeton
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: March
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Walkup
authors.forename: Philip C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Kendall
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020280:Sertraline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D063189:Symptom Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D020280:Sertraline