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. 2024 Nov 11;16(4):983-1000.
doi: 10.3390/pediatric16040084.

Trends in Childhood Behavioral, Mental, and Developmental Problems (2019-2022) Using the National Survey of Children's Health

Austin Lent  1 , Ayden Dunn  1 , Nada Eldawy  1 , Vama Jhumkhawala  1 , Meera Rao  1 , Joshua Sohmer  1 , Lea Sacca  1
Affiliations

Trends in Childhood Behavioral, Mental, and Developmental Problems (2019-2022) Using the National Survey of Children's Health

Austin Lent et al. Pediatr Rep. .

Abstract

Background: This study examines nationwide prevalence of US childhood behavioral, mental, and developmental problems in the 6-11 age group category between 2019 and 2022, and several key metrics related to caregiver social determinants of health.

Methods: We used NSCH data for 6-11-year-old children for the years 2019-2022. Summary statistics for the selected sample were generated and binary logistic regressions were conducted for each severity level binary variable for each study year with caregiver mental or emotional health as a covariate.

Results: Our study found significant associations between severe childhood anxiety and "fair" or "poor" caregiver rankings of mental and emotional health for both the 2020 and 2022 survey years. Our study also found that caregiver mental and emotional health may play a role in childhood ADD and ADHD prevalence rates as caregivers who ranked their mental health as "fair" or "good" had significantly higher odds of having a child with severe ADD or ADHD than caregivers who reported "excellent" mental and emotional health.

Conclusion: These findings support prospects of an increase in the need for developmental health services, thus necessitating efforts towards effective allocation and focus of developmental treatment programs tailored to children and pediatric population groups.

Keywords: anxiety; caregiver emotional health; childhood developmental problems; depression; social determinants of health.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Percentage of children 6–11 years old currently experiencing anxiety during study period of 2019–2022; (b) percentage of children 6–11 years old experiencing severe anxiety among those currently experiencing anxiety during study period of 2019–2022.
Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Percentage of children 6–11 years old currently experiencing anxiety during study period of 2019–2022; (b) percentage of children 6–11 years old experiencing severe anxiety among those currently experiencing anxiety during study period of 2019–2022.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) Percentage of children 6–11 years old currently experiencing depression during study period of 2019–2022; (b) percentage of children 6–11 years old experiencing severe depression among those currently experiencing depression during study period of 2019–2022.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) Percentage of children 6–11 years old currently experiencing depression during study period of 2019–2022; (b) percentage of children 6–11 years old experiencing severe depression among those currently experiencing depression during study period of 2019–2022.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Percentage of children 6–11 years old currently experiencing behavioral or conduct problems during study period of 2019–2022; (b) percentage of children 6–11 years old experiencing severe behavioral or conduct problems among those currently experiencing behavioral or conduct problems during study period of 2019–2022.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Percentage of children 6–11 years old currently experiencing behavioral or conduct problems during study period of 2019–2022; (b) percentage of children 6–11 years old experiencing severe behavioral or conduct problems among those currently experiencing behavioral or conduct problems during study period of 2019–2022.
Figure 4
Figure 4
(a) Percentage of children 6–11 years old currently experiencing autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during the study period of 2019–2022; (b) percentage of children 6–11 years old experiencing autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during the study period of 2019–2022.
Figure 4
Figure 4
(a) Percentage of children 6–11 years old currently experiencing autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during the study period of 2019–2022; (b) percentage of children 6–11 years old experiencing autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during the study period of 2019–2022.
Figure 5
Figure 5
(a) Percentage of children 6–11 years old currently experiencing ADD/ADHD; (b) percentage of children 6–11 years old experiencing severe ADD/ADHD during the study period of 2019–2022.
Figure 5
Figure 5
(a) Percentage of children 6–11 years old currently experiencing ADD/ADHD; (b) percentage of children 6–11 years old experiencing severe ADD/ADHD during the study period of 2019–2022.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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