@article{ref1,
title="Somatic symptoms following sexual assault in adolescents: a prospective longitudinal study",
journal="Psychology, health and medicine",
year="2021",
author="Casanovas, Marta and Kramer, Tami and Clarke, Venetia and Goddard, Andrea and Elena, Garralda M. and Khadr, Sophie",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="Adults and young people with somatoform disorders and somatic symptoms retrospectively report high rates of sexual abuse. We aimed to assess somatic symptoms in young people in the aftermath of a sexual assault and to document links with assault characteristics, with psychopathology and with related functional impairment. This was a prospective cohort study of adolescents seen in specialized clinics in London in the first 6 weeks following a sexual assault and at 4-5 months follow-up. We enquired about somatic symptoms (headaches, abdominal pain and sickness) pre and post assault, and we assessed psychiatric disorders and functional impairment at follow-up using validated scales. Information was obtained on 94 females (mean age 15.6, SD 1.3). There was a statistically significant increase in the number of adolescents reporting somatic symptoms at 4-5-month follow-up (65/94, 69%) (p = 0.035), compared with estimated pre-assault rates (52/94, 55%) and a significant increase in somatic symptoms at follow-up among the victims of violent sexual abuse (p < .001). Subjects with somatic symptoms at follow-up had significant higher rates of psychiatric disorders - especially generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder and major depressive disorders - as well as lower psychosocial functioning (p < 0.01), than those without somatic symptoms.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1354-8506",
doi="10.1080/13548506.2021.1874437",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13548506.2021.1874437"
}