Psychiatric disturbances among prepubertal children in southern Finland

Abstract

The prevalence of psychiatric disorders among prepubertal children in Southern Finland was studied in a two-stage epidemiological survey. In the first stage of the study 3397 children aged 8 or 9 were screened with the Rutter A2 scale for parents, Rutter B2 scale for teachers and Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). In the second stage a random sample of the children screened was drawn for more detailed assessment. Altogether 279 children were interviewed with the Finnish version of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC), and their parents with the Isle of Wight Interview Schedule. In the parental interview the prevalence of psychiatric disturbance among children was 15.1%. The rate was higher for boys (23.7%) than for girls (5.3%). The prevalence of psychiatric disturbance verified with the child interview was 14.9%. The prevalence of psychiatric disturbance in boys based on the child interview was 20.5%. For girls the prevalence of psychiatric disturbance based on the child interview was 8.7%. The spectrum of psychiatric disturbance differed in the two interviews. Attention deficit disorder, depression and conduct disorder were the most common diagnoses in the parent interview, while anxiety disorder and depression were most common according to the child interview. In only 24% of the cases both the parent and child interview gave the same diagnosis.