Anxiety, Depressive Symptomatology, and Perfectionism Traits and Their Relationship with Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction in Children 2025 Casano+

Abstract

Purpose
Disorders of the gut–brain interaction (DGBIs), formerly known as functional gastrointestinal disorders, are a set of recurrent or chronic digestive symptoms that are not explained by structural or biochemical alterations. The pathophysiology of these disorders is not completely known, but it is believed that different environmental, genetic, social, or psychological factors may generate them. Therefore, the sphere of mental health must be taken into consideration. Our objective was to determine the prevalence of disorders of the gut–brain interaction, anxiety, depressive symptomatology, and perfectionist traits in children and adolescents aged 10–14 years and to analyze the relationship between psychological features and abdominal pain.

Methods
This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical observational study included 447 students (51.9% female) aged between 10–14 (median age=12.26) years from four schools in the province of Castellón.

Results
Notably, 37.1% of the students had some type of DGBI. Children with depressive symptoms had 4.69 times higher odds of presenting with some type of DGBI, and children with anxiety had 2.86 times higher odds of presenting with some type of DGBI. Students who exhibited only socially prescribed perfectionism had 2.07 times higher odds of presenting with some type of DGBI.

Conclusion
Children aged 10–14 years who had depressive symptomatology, perfectionist personality traits (specifically socially prescribed perfectionism), and anxiety (only in children over 12 years) were more likely to have DGBIs.

Open access

 

I’m not at all comfortable with studies like these on children..

 

Uh, are they? It's not as if there's a naming authority somewhere. Basically people can call these whatever they like. Personally I sometimes call them whiskers. It's not as if it changes anything, a silly name for a silly concept. But there is no such "formerly known" thing going on here, so many people embrace main character fallacy.

Actually, reflecting on this, how long as the concept of functional GI disorders even been fashionable? 5 years? It depends on cultural and regional tropes, of course, but although this term has long been vaguely used, it's only been recently become fashionable. Damn this fast fashion trend, always throwing away perfectly good head trousers.

Oh, it's good that they point this out because no one had ever thought of this before. Phew, we're lucky to have such brave experts working on these things, saying things about them and so on.

OK I actually LOLed at this one. Oh, mercy. These people will say anything.

I think I managed to find the questionnaire, with the "socially prescribed" thing, and I have no idea what this has to do with anything but whatever, to silly each their silly own. I see as much as value in this as in ye olde ink blot thing, but I guess people can see anything they want in there.