Negative Emotional Reactivity and Somatic Symptoms during Adolescence Predict Adult Health and Wellbeing in Early and Middle Adulthood

Abstract

Longitudinal research is lacking with respect to how negative emotional reactivity and somatic symptoms during adolescence set the stage for later health. The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine within-person associations between negative emotional reactivity and somatic symptoms during adolescence and their effects on health and wellbeing in adulthood. Participants (N = 1527; 48.3% female) were assessed annually at the age of 12 to 16 years and at the age of 35 and 45 years. Adolescents with frequent somatic symptoms reported higher reactivity. Individual differences in levels and changes of somatic symptoms and reactivity were independently associated with adult health and wellbeing decades later. The findings underscore the importance of considering how individual differences change during adolescent development.