Introduction: Psychological symptoms (PSs) are also seen in healthy individuals. The aim of this study is to examine some familial characteristics in the relationship between PSs and serum serotonin (5-HT) and salivary cortisol (sCTS) levels in healthy individuals.
Materials and Method: A sociodemographic data form and a psychiatric symptom screening questionnaire (SCL-90-R) were given to 320 healthy individuals (156 males, 164 females) aged between 18-65 years and without any mental illness. Blood and saliva samples were duly taken and evaluated by ELISA method. The research protocol was approved by the Ankara Keçiören Training and Research Hospital Clinic Research Ethics Committee (study number KÖTRH-CREC_11.07.2012/103). Informed consent was obtained from the participants before participating in the study. Statistical analyzes were performed with the SPSS 15.0 program. Descriptive statistical data (number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, minimum and maximum), independent sample t test, One-way ANOVA test, Kruskal Wallis H test, Mann-Whitney U test, Pearson Correlation analysis were used in the analyzes. For statistical significance, p˂.05 was accepted as significant.
Results: The highest PS levels of the participants were obsessive-compulsive symptoms (.92±.80), interpersonal sensitivity (.75±.55) and depressive symptoms (.72±.53), respectively. The general symptom index (GSI) was .61±.46. Psychotic (χ2(2)=7.021, p=.03) and phobic symptoms (χ2(2)=7.130, p=.03) in those living in a nuclear family, depression levels in those whose parents lived together (t=-2.114, p=.04) was lower. Somatization, anxiety, obsession, depression, interpersonal sensitivity, psychoticism, paranoid, thought, hostility and additional symptom levels were highest in illiterate parents. Phobic symptom levels were highest in those whose fathers were illiterate. In patients with a family history of psychiatric illness, somatization (t=2.108, p=.04), anxiety (t=2.103, p=.02), obsession (t=2.146, p=.03), depression (t=2.548, p=.01), anger-hostility (t=3.096, p=