Current and lifetime somatic symptom burden among transition‐aged autistic young adults

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary J. Williams ◽  
Katherine O. Gotham
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Somatic Symptom ◽  
Symptom Burden

scholarly journals Current and Lifetime Somatic Symptom Burden Among Transition-aged Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary J Williams ◽  
Katherine O Gotham
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
General Population ◽  
Somatic Symptom ◽  
Somatic Symptoms ◽  
Symptom Burden ◽  
Autistic Traits ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Clinical Correlates

Background and Objectives: Somatic symptoms are the most common cause of outpatient medical visits in the general population, yet their presence and severity in individuals on the autism spectrum has rarely been studied. We sought to assess the prevalence, impact, and clinical correlates of fourteen commonly-reported somatic symptoms in a sample of transition-aged autistic young adults. Methods: A sample of 290 independent and cognitively able autistic young adults (aged 18-26 years; mean [SD]: 23.10 [2.38] years) was recruited from the Simons Foundation SPARK participant pool. A modified version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 was used to assess somatic symptom prevalence/impact, along with measures of depression, anxiety, autistic traits, and quality of life. Results: Somatic symptom burden was much higher in autistic young adults than previously reported in the general population. The most commonly reported current symptoms were fatigue (72.8%), sleep problems (69.0%), and menstrual problems (61.4% of females). Moderate or severe symptom levels were reported by 53.9% of females and 18.75% of males in our cohort, with the odds of females of endorsing any given symptom being 2-4 times greater than males. Both individual symptoms and total symptom burden were related to higher levels of depression, anxiety, and autistic traits, along with lower quality of life. Conclusion: Despite little research on this topic previously, somatic symptoms are highly prevalent in autistic young adults, particularly women. Future research is needed to investigate links between somatic symptoms, medical and psychiatric morbidity, and health care utilization in the autistic population. What's Known on This Subject Somatic symptoms are highly prevalent in the general population and account for a large proportion of health system visits and health care costs. However, few studies have investigated the prevalence, impact, or correlates of these symptoms in individuals on the autism spectrum. What This Study Adds To our knowledge, this is the first study to specifically assess current and lifetime somatic symptom burden, symptom onset patterns, and the clinical correlates of multisystem symptom distress in transition-aged young adults on the autism spectrum.

scholarly journals The Unified Protocol as an Internet-based Intervention for Emotional Disorders: Randomized Controlled Trial

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Schaeuffele ◽  
Sophie Luise Homeyer ◽  
Luis Perea ◽  
Lisa Scharf ◽  
Ava Schulz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Disorders ◽  
Somatic Symptom ◽  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Satisfaction With Life ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Symptom Burden ◽  
Symptom Distress ◽  
Significant Treatment ◽  
Mixed Effect ◽  
Unified Protocol

The Unified Protocol (UP) as a transdiagnostic intervention has primarily been applied in the treatment of anxiety disorders and in face-to-face-settings. The current study investigated the efficacy of a 10-week internet-based adaptation of the UP for anxiety, depressive, and somatic symptom disorders. N=132 participants were randomized to treatment or waitlist control. Linear mixed effect models revealed significant treatment effects for symptom distress, satisfaction with life, positive/negative affect and markers of anxiety, depression, and somatic symptom burden (within-group Hedges’ g = 0.32-1.38 and between-group g = 0.20-1.11). Treatment gains were maintained at 1- and 6-month-follow-up. Subgroup analyses showed comparable effects in participants with anxiety and depressive disorders. The results strengthen the application of the UP as an internet-based treatment for alleviating symptom distress across emotional disorders. More research on the applicability for single disorders and the mechanisms underlying the effects is needed.

Predictors of Seeking Psychotherapy in Primary Care Patients with High Somatic Symptom Burden

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 231-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amina K. Kuby ◽  
Bernd Löwe ◽  
Alexandra B. Fabisch ◽  
Katharina Piontek ◽  
Martin Härter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Somatic Symptom ◽  
Symptom Burden ◽  
Primary Care Patients

scholarly journals Symptom burden among young adults with breast or colorectal cancer

Cancer ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 120 (15) ◽  
pp. 2255-2263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacy D. Sanford ◽  
Fengmin Zhao ◽  
John M. Salsman ◽  
Victor T. Chang ◽  
Lynne I. Wagner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Symptom Burden

scholarly journals Health Care Use and Costs of Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults With Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (7) ◽  
pp. e2011295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasha Ruth Saunders ◽  
Sima Gandhi ◽  
Simon Chen ◽  
Simone Vigod ◽  
Kinwah Fung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Somatic Symptom ◽  
Health Care Use ◽  
Adolescents And Young Adults ◽  
Costs Of Children

Managerial support for basic psychological needs, somatic symptom burden and work-related correlates: A self-determination theory perspective

Work & Stress ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 404-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey C. Williams ◽  
Hallgeir Halvari ◽  
Christopher P. Niemiec ◽  
Øystein Sørebø ◽  
Anja H. Olafsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Somatic Symptom ◽  
Symptom Burden ◽  
Self Determination Theory ◽  
Psychological Needs ◽  
Basic Psychological Needs ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Managerial Support

scholarly journals Efficacy of a guided internet-based intervention (iSOMA) for somatic symptoms and related distress in university students: study protocol of a randomised controlled trial

BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. e024929 ◽  
Author(s):  
Severin Hennemann ◽  
Katja Böhme ◽  
Harald Baumeister ◽  
Eileen Bendig ◽  
Maria Kleinstäuber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
University Students ◽  
Somatic Symptom ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Somatic Symptoms ◽  
Symptom Burden ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Age Cohorts ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
Internet Based Intervention

IntroductionPersistent and distressing somatic symptoms are common in younger age cohorts such as university students. However, the majority does not receive adequate psychosocial care. Internet-based and mobile-based interventions may represent low threshold and effective extensions to reduce somatic and associated mental symptom severity. The planned study aims to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of an internet-based intervention in reducing somatic and psychological symptoms in an international population of university students with somatic symptom burden.Methods and analysisThis parallel two-armed randomised controlled trial evaluates an 8-week guided intervention, including web-based consecutive modules based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) principles against a waitlist control group. Guidance will be provided by trained psychologists with weekly written supportive feedback. As part of the ‘Studicare’ project, the present study aims to recruit n=154 university students indicating somatic symptom burden at baseline in German-speaking universities. Self-report assessments will take place at baseline and after intervention completion (8, 16 weeks after randomisation). The primary outcome will be the severity of somatic symptoms and associated mental distress. Secondary outcomes include depression, (health) anxiety, disability, intervention satisfaction and adherence.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval has been granted. Results from this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences.Trial registration numberDRKS00014375; Pre-results.

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