Somatic symptoms and environmental sensitivity in preadolescents and adolescents: the mediating role of alexithymia - insights for wellbeing promotion

Somatic symptoms are common in school-aged children and adolescents, potentially manifesting as a response to psychological pain. Factors such as emotional regulation, parental attachment patterns, and environmental sensitivity can influence somatic symptoms. The literature lacks studies that comprehensively explore all the aforementioned dimensions together in the developmental age population. This study explores associations between these dimensions in youth and examines the role of alexithymia, which indicate lower emotional capabilities, in mediating the link between environmental sensitivity and somatic symptoms. A total of 420 participants aged 11–14 years (mean age = 12.05; SD = 1.01; 53.3% girls) from three schools in central Italy completed during school hours: Children’s Somatization Inventory, Experiences in Close Relationships Scale – Revised Child Version, Highly Sensitive Child Scale, Alexithymia Questionnaire for Children, and a socio-demographic questionnaire. Based on the frequency of reported headaches and abdominal pain, participants were divided into three subgroups, ranging from lower to higher levels of somatic symptoms. Data analysis revealed several significant differences between these subgroups, with the highest somatic-symptomatology group displaying greater levels across the assessed dimensions. Correlation analysis confirmed these findings, showing significant associations between greater somatic symptomatology and increased environmental sensitivity, emotional dysregulation, anxious and avoidant attachment, and female gender. The mediation model revealed that environmental sensitivity affects somatic symptoms both directly and indirectly through affect regulation. In conclusion, this study supports the importance of tailored intervention programs that promote emotional competencies in preadolescents and adolescents as a preventive measure for their psychophysical wellbeing. Further studies are needed to confirm present findings.