TY - JOUR
T1 - Potentially traumatic events, social support and burden of persistent somatic symptoms
T2 - A longitudinal study
AU - Barends, Hieke
AU - van der Wouden, Johannes C.
AU - Claassen - van Dessel, Nikki
AU - Twisk, Jos W. R.
AU - van der Horst, Henriëtte E.
AU - Dekker, Joost
N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by grants of ZonMw (The Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development , funding number 839110018) and the Stoffels-Hornstra Foundation . The funding sources had no role in the design, analyses and interpretation of this study. We want to thank our research assistants for their help and assistance in gathering all necessary data. We are particularly thankful to all the participants that took (and are still taking) part in the PROSPECTS study for their time and efforts. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors
PY - 2022/8/1
Y1 - 2022/8/1
N2 - Objective: Psychological trauma is a well-known risk factor for the onset of persistent somatic symptoms (PSS). In contrast, little is known on the relation between potentially traumatic events (PTEs) and the severity of PSS, and on the protective effect of social support. We aimed to: (i) determine whether childhood, adulthood and recent PTEs are associated with burden of PSS over four years of follow-up; (ii) examine associations of multiple and cumulative (in childhood and adulthood) exposure to PTEs with burden of PSS; and (iii) determine whether social support modifies these associations. Methods: Longitudinal data of 322 patients with PSS were analyzed. PTEs (Life Events Questionnaire) and social support (Social Support Scale) were assessed at baseline. Burden of PSS was measured in terms of symptom severity (PHQ-15) and physical functioning (RAND-36 PCS) at six repeated measurements over a four-year interval. Associations were analyzed using longitudinal mixed model analysis. Results: Patients with multiple childhood PTEs reported higher burden of PSS over four-year time. Adulthood PTEs were associated with burden of PSS in patients with, but not in patients without childhood PTEs. Recent PTEs were not associated with burden over time. Social support did not modify any of the associations. Conclusions: PTEs are associated with higher burden of PSS over time, in addition to the well-known association with the onset of PSS. PTEs in early life and cumulative exposure to PTEs in childhood and adulthood are associated with higher burden over time in patients with PSS. Social support did not attenuate the associations.
AB - Objective: Psychological trauma is a well-known risk factor for the onset of persistent somatic symptoms (PSS). In contrast, little is known on the relation between potentially traumatic events (PTEs) and the severity of PSS, and on the protective effect of social support. We aimed to: (i) determine whether childhood, adulthood and recent PTEs are associated with burden of PSS over four years of follow-up; (ii) examine associations of multiple and cumulative (in childhood and adulthood) exposure to PTEs with burden of PSS; and (iii) determine whether social support modifies these associations. Methods: Longitudinal data of 322 patients with PSS were analyzed. PTEs (Life Events Questionnaire) and social support (Social Support Scale) were assessed at baseline. Burden of PSS was measured in terms of symptom severity (PHQ-15) and physical functioning (RAND-36 PCS) at six repeated measurements over a four-year interval. Associations were analyzed using longitudinal mixed model analysis. Results: Patients with multiple childhood PTEs reported higher burden of PSS over four-year time. Adulthood PTEs were associated with burden of PSS in patients with, but not in patients without childhood PTEs. Recent PTEs were not associated with burden over time. Social support did not modify any of the associations. Conclusions: PTEs are associated with higher burden of PSS over time, in addition to the well-known association with the onset of PSS. PTEs in early life and cumulative exposure to PTEs in childhood and adulthood are associated with higher burden over time in patients with PSS. Social support did not attenuate the associations.
KW - Course
KW - Medically unexplained symptoms
KW - Persistent somatic symptoms
KW - Social support
KW - Trauma
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85131528757&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2022.110945
DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2022.110945
M3 - Article
C2 - 35665613
SN - 0022-3999
VL - 159
JO - Journal of psychosomatic research
JF - Journal of psychosomatic research
M1 - 110945
ER -