ABSTRACT
Objectives:
The primary aim of this study was to compare depression, anxiety and alexithymia levels in children and adolescents with primary headache to the control group and to investigate the relationship between alexithymia and depression, anxiety levels. The second aim of the study was to compare maternal depression and anxiety levels between the case and the control groups.
Materials and Methods:
The study group was composed of 30 children and adolescents as a case group who were admitted to the Pediatric Neurology clinic of the Ankara University, with a diagnosis of primary headache. Thirty healthy children and adolescents matched in terms of age and sex were included in this study as a control group. All children and adolescents were applied Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia DSM-IV by the researcher. All children and adolescents participating in the study were assessed for The Children’s Depression Inventory and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Toronto Alexithymia scale and mothers completed Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety scale.
Results:
There was no significant difference among depression, anxiety and alexithymia levels in the case and control groups (p>0.05). The depression levels of mothers in the case group were significantly higher than in the healthy controls (p=0.01), whereas there was no difference in terms of anxiety levels (p=0.124).
Conclusion:
The higher levels of depression in mothers of children with primary headache show the importance of mothers’ psychiatric evaluation as well as the comorbid psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. It should be kept in mind that the psychological support of the mother may be important for the prevention and treatment of children with primary headache.
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