Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42814714›Full record

ArticlePloS one2026

Psychosomatic symptom burden and family functioning of adolescents with chronic diseases in transition to adult medicine - Implications for psychosocial support.

Daniela Choukair, Amelie Beuchert, Cinara Paul, Alexander Fichtner, Georg F Hoffmann, Hans-Christoph Friederich, Beate Wild

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Daniela ChoukairDepartment of Pediatrics I, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1631-3883
Amelie BeuchertDepartment of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Cinara PaulDepartment of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Alexander FichtnerDepartment of Pediatrics I, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Georg F HoffmannDepartment of Pediatrics I, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Hans-Christoph FriederichDepartment of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Beate WildDepartment of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeAdolescents with chronic diseases often experience psychosomatic comorbidity. However, systematic evaluation of psychosocial stress is not yet implemented in structured transition programs from pediatric to adult health care. The aim was to evaluate psychosocial burden, family functioning, knowledge of their illnesses and identify needs for support.

methodsAmong n = 92 adolescents with chronic diseases psychosocial stress and family functioning were assessed using validated questionnaires at the beginning of transition: (Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7), 8-item Somatic Symptom Scale (SSS-8), Somatic Symptom Disorder-B Criteria Scale (SSD-12), Systemic Clinical Outcome and Routine Evaluation (SCORE-15)). The patient´s disease-specific knowledge and need for counselling were assessed using a transition questionnaire. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in 42 adolescents with increased psychosocial burden and analysed using qualitative content analysis by Kuckartz.

results39.6% (95% CI = 29%, 50%) were moderately impaired by somatic complaints (SSS-8) and 6.5% (95% CI = 1%, 12%) raised severe concerns due to somatic symptoms (SSD-12). 20.6% (95% CI = 10.3%, 28%) showed symptoms of moderate or severe depression (PHQ-9), whereas 11.9% (95% CI = 6.8%, 17.5%) suffered from moderate or severe generalized anxiety disorder symptoms (GAD-7). Family functioning was assessed as good (SCORE-15); and a lower family functioning was significantly associated with higher psychosomatic symptom severity (p < 0.05). Qualitative analysis identified four main categories: somatic complaints, psychological aspects, informational aspects, and structural problems. DISCUSSION: At the beginning of the transition, adolescent patients with chronic diseases suffered from psychosomatic burden and a lower family functioning was associated with higher psychosomatic symptom severity. Therefore, assessment of psychosocial burden and family functioning should be integrated into transition programs to provide specific support and initiate early interventions.

Indexed as

Psychophysiologic DisordersAdolescentAdultChronic DiseaseFamilyFemaleGeneralized Anxiety DisorderHumansMaleStress, PsychologicalSurveys and QuestionnairesSymptom Burden

Identifiers

PMID42814714
PMCPMC13626331

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.