PSYCHOSOCIAL CORRELATES OF RECURRENT CHILDHOOD PAIN - A COMPARISON OFPEDIATRIC-PATIENTS WITH RECURRENT ABDOMINAL-PAIN, ORGANIC ILLNESS, AND PSYCHIATRIC-DISORDERS

Pediatric patients with recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) were compared w ith patients with peptic disease, patients with emotional disorders, a nd well children with regard to (a) emotional and somatic symptoms and (b) theoretically derived variables, including negative life events, competence, family functioning, and the modeling and encouragement of illness behavior. RAP patients had levels of emotional distress and so matic complaints higher than those of well children and lower than tho se of psychiatric patients, but not different from those of patients w ith peptic disease. RAP patients had fewer negative life events, bette r family functioning, and higher competence than children with emotion al disorders. In comparison with well children and psychiatric patient s, both RAP and peptic disease patients had a higher incidence of illn ess in other family members and perceived greater parental encourageme nt of illness behavior for abdominal symptoms.