Emotional characteristics of adolescents with somatoform autonomic dysfunction

This article is devoted to the emotional characteristics of the personality and current emotional state of adolescents with isolated somatoform dysfunction and somatoform autonomic dysfunction involving somatic diseases, in comparison with healthy adolescents. Characteristics and qualitative structure of situational and personal anxiety, asthenic and depressive syndromes, manifestations of alexithymia were explored. In the result of the study author revealed distinctive characteristics of the emotional state, that distinguish adolescents with somatoform autonomic dysfunction in healthy adolescents. So, adolescents with SAD have decreased mood, increased level of state and trait anxiety, they are more alexithymic and have higher level of asthenia. First of all, anxiety in adolescents expressed in such components as fatigue, disturbance of social communication, several fobic symptoms, health anxiety. Also identified the determinants of emotional state adolescents with isolated SAD and somatoform dysfunction concomitant some somatic diseases. One of the leading factors of adolescents with isolated SAD anxiety is the anxiety associated with the uncertainty of the future; the leading role belongs to the trait anxiety factors. In adolescents with SAD concomitant somatic disease current emotional state is determined by asthenic component of state anxiety; the leading role belongs to the state anxiety factors. Also, alexithymia level of adolescents with SAD concomitant somatic disease is higher, than in isolated form.