Breaking the cycle: Psychological and social dimensions of pediatric functional gastrointestinal disorders

Table 1 Key findings from the review

Factor	Prevalence (%)	Impact
Anxiety	62	Exacerbates FGID symptoms via stress reactivity and visceral hypersensitivity
Depression	38	Linked to altered pain perception, appetite changes, and fatigue
ADHD	24	Impulsivity and poor regulation worsen eating patterns and symptom severity
Emotional dysregulation	58	Leads to somatization and heightened symptom perception
High-stress family dynamics	≥ 50	Contributes to increased symptom severity and emotional insecurity
School stress	41	Triggers FGID symptoms during academic or social pressures
Early-life trauma	46	Disrupts HPA axis and gut-brain communication, worsening long-term outcomes
Visceral hypersensitivity	54	Amplifies pain perception to normal gut stimuli

FGID: Functional gastrointestinal disorder; ADHD: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; HPA: Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal.