Psychosocial Factors and Psychiatric Disorder in Childhood Chronic Abdominal Pain

Jin Kook Heo; Dong-Ho Song

doi:10.5223/kjpgn.2011.14.Suppl1.S25

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Heo and Song: Psychosocial Factors and Psychiatric Disorder in Childhood Chronic Abdominal Pain

Review Article

Korean Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition

Korean Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 2011; 14(Suppl 1): S25-S33.

Published online: 31 December 2011

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5223/kjpgn.2011.14.Suppl1.S25

Psychosocial Factors and Psychiatric Disorder in Childhood Chronic Abdominal Pain

Jin Kook Heo, M.D., Dong-Ho Song, M.D., Ph.D.

Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Corresponding author (dhsong@yuhs.ac)

Received 27 December 2011 Revised 30 December 2011 Accepted 30 December 2011

Abstract

Childhood chronic abdominal pain usually doesn't have an organic etiology. It may cause social impairment and emotional distress in children as well as their families. In view of cognitive and behavioral aspect, passive coping style, maladaptive social modeling, and reinforced secondary gain could contribute to the development and maintenance of pediatric somatization. Integrative etiological model includes biological factors due to the enteric sensitization process, psychosocial factors which encompass family influences, psychodevelomental vulnerability, and life event-related stress. These factors interact with each other and manifest as various psychosomatic symptoms. In the treatment of childhood chronic abdominal pain, multimodal treatment program, which includes cognitive behavioral therapeutic methods, emotional support, family education, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, and so on, is known to be most effective.

Keywords: Childhood, Chronic abdominal pain, Pediatric somatization, Psychosocial factors

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1

A simple structure to examine and compare theories abdominal pain and influences on childhood.

Table 1

The Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (FGID)

Table 2

Premises and Criteria for the Diagnosis of Psychosomatic Abdominal Pain

If premises I and II and criterion 5 were satisfied, the diagnosis would be "probably psychosomatic".

Table 3

Principals of Assessment and Diagnosis for Pediatric Somatization

Table 4

Overview of Cognitive Behavioraltherapeutic Methods for the Treatment of Chronic Functional Abdominal Pain

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