Exploring psychophysiological markers of vulnerability to somatic illnesses in females.

OBJECTIVE To examine the association between biological stress regulation and somatic complaints in young girls prior to the onset of clear psychopathology such as somatization disorder. METHODS Salivary cortisol, heart rate variability (HRV), and negative mood were assessed in 48 12-year-old girls in response to the Trier Social Stress Test for Children (TSST-C). Parent and child report on the Children's Somatization Inventory was used to identify girls with high and low somatic complaints. RESULTS Girls with high levels of somatic complaints had significantly higher initial levels of cortisol, which decreased over time, and showed a trend for a more limited HRV in response to the TSST-C than girls with low levels of somatic complaints. CONCLUSIONS High levels of cortisol and possibly low HRV among girls with somatic complaints may interfere with flexibility in responding to typical psychosocial stressors, which may increase vulnerability to the onset of somatic illnesses in females.