TY - JOUR

T1 - Neuroticism, perceived stress, adverse life events and self-efficacy as predictors of the development of functional somatic disorders

T2 - longitudinal population-based study (DanFunD)

AU - Petersen, Marie Weinreich

AU - Carstensen, Tina Birgitte Wisbech

AU - Wellnitz, Kaare Bro

AU - Ørnbøl, Eva

AU - Frostholm, Lisbeth

AU - Dantoft, Thomas Meinertz

AU - Jørgensen, Torben

AU - Eplov, Lene Falgaard

AU - Fink, Per

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - BACKGROUND: Functional somatic disorder (FSD) is a unifying diagnosis that includes functional somatic syndromes such as irritable bowel, chronic widespread pain (CWP) and chronic fatigue. Several psychological factors are associated with FSD. However, longitudinal population-based studies elucidating the causal relationship are scarce.AIMS: To explore if neuroticism, perceived stress, adverse life events (ALEs) and self-efficacy can predict the development of FSD over a 5-year period.METHOD: A total of 4288 individuals who participated in the DanFunD baseline and 5-year follow-up investigations were included. FSD was established at both baseline and follow-up, with symptom questionnaires and diagnostic interviews. Neuroticism was measured with the short-form NEO Personality Inventory, perceived stress with the Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale, ALEs with the Danish version of the Cumulative Lifetime Adversity Measure and self-efficacy with the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Associations were investigated with multiple logistic regression models.RESULTS: Perceived stress predicted incident FSD, irritable bowel, CWP and chronic fatigue (odds ratios: 1.04-1.17). Neuroticism predicted incident FSD and chronic fatigue (odds ratios: 1.03-1.16). ALEs predicted incident FSD, CWP and chronic fatigue (odds ratios: 1.06-1.18). An increase in perceived stress from baseline to follow-up was associated with incident FSD, irritable bowel, CWP and chronic fatigue (odds ratios: 1.05-1.22). Contrary, an increase in self-efficacy seemed to be a protective factor (odds ratios: 0.89-0.99).CONCLUSIONS: High neuroticism, high perceived stress and a high number of ALEs are risk factors for the development of FSD. Particularly perceived stress seems to be an important contributor to the onset of FSD.

AB - BACKGROUND: Functional somatic disorder (FSD) is a unifying diagnosis that includes functional somatic syndromes such as irritable bowel, chronic widespread pain (CWP) and chronic fatigue. Several psychological factors are associated with FSD. However, longitudinal population-based studies elucidating the causal relationship are scarce.AIMS: To explore if neuroticism, perceived stress, adverse life events (ALEs) and self-efficacy can predict the development of FSD over a 5-year period.METHOD: A total of 4288 individuals who participated in the DanFunD baseline and 5-year follow-up investigations were included. FSD was established at both baseline and follow-up, with symptom questionnaires and diagnostic interviews. Neuroticism was measured with the short-form NEO Personality Inventory, perceived stress with the Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale, ALEs with the Danish version of the Cumulative Lifetime Adversity Measure and self-efficacy with the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Associations were investigated with multiple logistic regression models.RESULTS: Perceived stress predicted incident FSD, irritable bowel, CWP and chronic fatigue (odds ratios: 1.04-1.17). Neuroticism predicted incident FSD and chronic fatigue (odds ratios: 1.03-1.16). ALEs predicted incident FSD, CWP and chronic fatigue (odds ratios: 1.06-1.18). An increase in perceived stress from baseline to follow-up was associated with incident FSD, irritable bowel, CWP and chronic fatigue (odds ratios: 1.05-1.22). Contrary, an increase in self-efficacy seemed to be a protective factor (odds ratios: 0.89-0.99).CONCLUSIONS: High neuroticism, high perceived stress and a high number of ALEs are risk factors for the development of FSD. Particularly perceived stress seems to be an important contributor to the onset of FSD.

U2 - 10.1192/bjo.2023.644

DO - 10.1192/bjo.2023.644

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 38268492

VL - 10

JO - BJPsych Open

JF - BJPsych Open

SN - 2056-4724

IS - 1

M1 - e34

ER -