Open Access

ARTICLE

Somatization and Eating Problems in Adolescents in Residential Care: The Influence of Relational Trauma, Attachment, Gender, and Personal Resources

Laura Lacomba-Trejo^1,*, Francisco González-Sala¹, Sandra Simó², Florencia Talmón-Knuser³
1 Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Speech Therapy, Universitat de València, València, Spain
2 Department of Basic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Speech Therapy, Universitat de València, València, Spain
3 Department of Developmental Psychology and Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, Catholic University of Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay
* Corresponding Author: Laura Lacomba-Trejo. Email:

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2026.077053

Received 01 December 2025; Accepted 02 March 2026; Published online 06 March 2026

Abstract

Backgrounds: Somatization and eating-related problems in adolescents living in residential care may be shaped by the interplay of risk and protective factors, including gender, relational trauma, attachment patterns, emotional intelligence, and perceived social support. This study examined how gender, relational trauma, attachment dimensions, resilience, and emotional intelligence contribute to the presence of somatic and eating difficulties in this population. Methods: The sample included 46 adolescents (63% female; ages 12–17, Mean = 14.85, Standard Deviation (SD) = 1.49) residing in child protection institutions in Uruguay. Participants completed self-report measures assessing childhood relational trauma (CaMir), attachment dimensions (anxiety and avoidance), resilience, emotional intelligence (adaptability and stress management), social support (MOS), and psychosocial adjustment (SENA subscales of somatization and eating problems). Using a fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) approach, distinct configurations of risk and protective factors associated with elevated levels of somatization and eating problems were identified. Results: Relational trauma and attachment anxiety showed moderate associations with both somatization and eating problems (r = 0.52–0.57, p < 0.01), whereas stress management was negatively associated with both outcomes (r = −0.37 to −0.47, p < 0.05). FsQCA revealed multiple configurations of risk and protective factors explaining 81–90% of cases, with solution consistencies ranging from 0.83 to 0.87. Results suggest that relational trauma and attachment anxiety are key risk conditions, whereas resilience, emotional regulation, and perceived social support function as protective factors. Conclusions: Findings highlight the importance of considering multifactorial patterns of vulnerability and protection rather than single predictors and underscore the need for tailored interventions that strengthen resilience and emotional skills while addressing the impact of early relational trauma.

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Keywords

Residential care; somatization; eating problems; relational trauma; resilience; emotional intelligence; social support

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