In a study of psychological factors, 30 children aged 6-16years with primary peptic ulcers were compared with 30 ulcer-free controls. Patients had a lower IQ, worse scholastic adaptation, more anxious and over-protective parents, higher frequency of food faddiness and lower frequency of nail-biting than controls. Psychotraumatic events preceded ulcer onset in 11 cases. Three patients had histories of suicide attempts. (TG)