Increase in affective and somatic complaints during pandemic is considered as related to experienced stress (Wang et al., 2020, Roy et al., 2020, Robillard et al., 2020). Expression or suppression of emotions related to pandemic could affect the vulnerability of people to stressful situations (Gross, Thompson, 2007, Roberts et al., 2008).

The aim was to reveal a role of suppression / expression emotions regarding pandemic in the changes in somatic and affective complaints in people without coronavirus during lockdown.

In May 2020 110 people 18-65 years old (61.2% females) without coronavirus appraised their strategy of dealing with different emotions regarding pandemic on the 1-5 scale from emotional expression to hiding and suppression (Cronbach’s alphas) and 26 somatic and emotional symptoms including sleep-related symptoms, daytime functioning, affective symptoms, general physical condition (Cronbach’s alphas .81-.90). In December 2020 they reappraised 26 complaints.

There were no statistically significant changes in somatic and affective complaints during May-December 2020 (p>.20). Increase in sleep-related complaints (β=.23, p<.05, ΔR2=5.0%) and complaints regarding general physical condition (β=.32, p<.05, ΔR2=10.0%) were more pronounced in those reporting higher expression of emotions related to COVID.

People with higher emotional reactivity to pandemic situation tend to report increase in sleep-related problems and general worsening of their physical condition during lockdown. Research is supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project No. 20-013-00799.

Research is supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project No. 20-013-00799

Children with somatic complaints are at increased risk for emotional disorders during childhood. Whether this elevated risk extends into young adulthood – and to which specific disorders – has rarely been tested with long-term prospective-longitudinal community samples. Here we test whether frequent and recurring stomach aches, headaches, and muscle aches during childhood predict emotional disorders in adulthood after accounting for childhood psychiatric and physical health status and psychosocial adversity.

The Great Smoky Mountains Study is a community representative sample with 1420 participants. Children/adolescents were assessed 4–7 times between ages 9–16 years. They were assessed again up to three times between ages 19–26 years. Childhood somatic complaints were coded when subjects or their parents reported frequent and recurrent headaches, stomach aches, or muscular/joint aches at some point when children were aged 9–16 years. Psychiatric disorders were assessed with the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment and the Young Adult Psychiatric Assessment.

Frequent and recurrent somatic complaints in childhood predicted adulthood emotional disorders. After controlling for potential confounders, predictions from childhood somatic complaints were specific to later depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Long-term predictions did not differ by sex. Somatic complaints that persisted across developmental periods were associated with the highest risk for young adult emotional distress disorders.

Children from the community with frequent and recurrent physical distress are at substantially increased risk for emotional distress disorders during young adulthood. Preventions and interventions for somatic complaints could help alleviate this risk.