title: Survey of children and their families presenting at a child psychiatric service.
abstract: This paper describes the source of referral, presenting problems and family characteristics of all children referred to the department of child psychiatry in Dunedin in 1980. This is the sole child psychiatric service for a child population of approximately 35 064, within a total population 120 426. Two hundred and six children were referred, mainly by general practitioners, but a number were referred by other agencies. The most common presenting problems were behaviour and anxiety disorders. The most striking finding was the excess of children of divorced or separated parents and the absence of any referrals of the children of single women who had not been previously married. Possible reasons for this are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders; D008605:Mental Health Services; D009520:New Zealand; D012017:Referral and Consultation