THE MEDIATING ROLE OF ANXIETY IN SELF-REPORTED SOMATIC COMPLAINTS OF DEPRESSED ADOLESCENTS

This study examined the mediating role of anxiety in the self-reports of somatic complaints in 96 depressed adolescent inpatients. Sixty-fou r subjects with major depressive episodes and comorbid anxiety disorde rs (MDE-A) determined from the Diagnostic Interview for Children and A dolescents-Revised (DICA-R) reported significantly more somatic compla ints than 32 adolescents having major depressive episodes without como rbid anxiety (MDE). An analysis of covariance demonstrated that, with anxiety symptoms controlled, MDE and MDE-A groups did not differ signi ficantly in somatic complaints. A hierarchical multiple-regression ana lysis revealed that, with demographic and anxiety symptoms controlled, depressive symptoms did not contribute to the explanation or predicti on of somatic complaints. The results suggest that anxious, but not de pressive symptoms, are independently associated with somatic complaint s. The results are discussed in light of new affective models of psych opathology.