Stress experience and stress symptoms in children and adolescents

The present study focuses on the significance of stress experiences for the emergence of physical and psychological symptoms in children and adolescents. The prevalences of typical symptoms in children and adolescents are analyzed and related to the number and intensity of stress experiences as well as to other possible influencing factors (such as grade, gender, acute and chronic illnesses). A questionnaire study was conducted with 1,699 children and adolescents in grades 5 to 10. The results show influences of grade and gender on stress experiences and physical as well as psychological symptoms reported by the children and adolescents. Stress experiences and symptoms increased with grade. Moreover, females reported more stress experiences and symptoms than males. The correlations between stress experiences and both physical and psychological symptoms remain significant and substantial, even if other strong predictors (grade, gender, and illnesses) are included in the analysis.