Clinical phenomenology, somatic symptoms, and distress in Hispanic/Latino and European American youths with anxiety disorders

J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2004 Jun;33(2):227-36. doi: 10.1207/s15374424jccp3302_3.

Abstract

This study compared clinic-anxious Hispanic/Latino and European American youths (ages 6 to 17 years old) along sociodemographic and clinical variables. Groups were relatively similar, although significant differences emerged as a function of ethnocultural and language choice (English, Spanish) used during the assessment. Within the English language choice group, Cuban American (CA) youths reported somatic symptoms as less distressing than non-Cuban American Hispanic/Latino (non-CA/HL) youths. Conversely, within the Spanish language choice group, CA youths reported somatic symptoms as more distressing than non-CA/HL youths. Also, parents in the European American and CA groups reported their youths as having less somatic symptoms than parents in the non-CA/HL group. Implications of findings are discussed, particularly regarding possible cultural significance of somatic symptoms.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Anxiety Disorders / diagnosis
  • Anxiety Disorders / ethnology*
  • Anxiety Disorders / psychology*
  • Attitude to Health
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Choice Behavior
  • Female
  • Health Behavior
  • Hispanic or Latino / psychology*
  • Hispanic or Latino / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Language
  • Male
  • Parents / psychology
  • Somatoform Disorders / diagnosis
  • Somatoform Disorders / ethnology*
  • Somatoform Disorders / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • White People / psychology*
  • White People / statistics & numerical data*