The association between parenting behavior and somatization in adolescents explained by physiological responses in adolescents

• Parenting behavior is not univocally related to adolescents' somatization.
• Parenting relates to somatization for highly physiologically responsive adolescents.
• For low physiologically responsive adolescents no significant relation was seen.

IntroductionThis study adds to the knowledge on somatization in adolescents by exploring its relation with parenting behavior and the mediating/moderating role of physiological responses in adolescents to parenting behavior.MethodEighteen adolescents with high and 18 adolescents with low somatization scores and their mothers completed a discussion task, from which observed parenting behavior scores were derived. Skin conductance in adolescents was measured before and during the discussion.ResultsFor adolescents with high levels of physiological responses, unadaptive parenting was related to a higher chance of high somatization scores. For low physiologically responsive adolescents, the relation between parenting behavior and somatization was not significant.ConclusionParenting behavior is not univocally related to somatization in adolescents, but the association depends on physiological responses in adolescents.