title: Transitional object use in adolescence: a developmental phenomenon or a sign of problems?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transitional object (TO) use is suggested to be related with various health problems. Prolonged TO use in adolescence is quite common, and research on its associations with health and psychosocial wellbeing is relevant because it does not necessarily represent pathologies in this age group.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of transitional phenomena and attachment to an inanimate object in adolescence, possible explanatory variables were studied, including sociodemographic and psychosocial factors and self-image.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 992 subjects (433 boys and 559 girls), mean age 14.5 years (SD = 0.5), who were studying at comprehensive schools in the City of Turku, Finland. Information about the TO use and background data were collected with a semi-structured questionnaire. Mental distress and self-esteem were assessed by the Offer Self-Image Questionnaire (OSIQ).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that, in the whole study group, significant explanatory factors for the TO use included female gender (p < 0.0001), frequent pain and aches (p = 0.008), and, of the OSIQ sub-scales, low Emotional Health (p = 0.006). For girls, significant explanatory factors for the TO use were pain and aches (p = 0.003) and low Emotional Health (p = 0.002). For boys, the only statistically significant explanatory factor was pain and aches (p = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The TO may serve as a soothing element for somatoform pain symptoms in adolescence. Identifying of the TO use may help one see an adolescent's possible distress, symptoms of pains, and problems in psychological resilience.
authors.affiliation: a Medical Faculty, PEDEGO Research Unit , Clinic of Child Psychiatry, University of Oulu , Oulu , Finland ;|b Child Psychiatric Clinic, Satakunta Hospital District , Pori , Finland ;
authors.forename: Ritva
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Erkolahti
authors.affiliation: c Department of Psychology , University of Turku , Turku , Finland ;
authors.forename: Marjaana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nyström
authors.affiliation: d Medical Faculty, Department of Biostatistics , University of Turku , Turku , Finland ;
authors.forename: Tero
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vahlberg
authors.affiliation: e PEDEGO Research Unit, Clinic of Child Psychiatry, University of Oulu , Oulu , Finland ;|f Clinic of Child Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital , Oulu , Finland.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ebeling
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: Adolescent; emotional health; pain symptoms; self-image; transitional object