Prevalence rates and correlates of psychiatric disorders among preschool children.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence and correlates of psychiatric disorders among preschool children in a primary care pediatric sample.


METHODS
In a two-stage design, 3,860 preschool children were screened; 510 received fuller evaluations.


RESULTS
For quantitative assessment of disorder (> or = 90th percentile), prevalence of behavior problems was 8.3%. "Probable" occurrence of an Axis I DSM-III-R disorder was 21.4% (9.1%, severe). Logistic regression analyses indicated significant demographic correlates for quantitative outcomes (older age, minority status, male sex, low socio-economic status, father absence, small family size) but not for DSM-III-R diagnoses. Maternal and family characteristics were generally not significant. Child correlates included activity level, timidity, persistence, and IQ.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall prevalence of disorder was consistent with rates for older children; correlates varied by approach used for classification.
Lavigne
J V
JV
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Children's Memorial Hospital (#10), Chicago, IL 60614, USA.
Gibbons
R D
RD
Christoffel
K K
KK
Arend
R
R
Rosenbaum
D
D
Binns
H
H
Dawson
N
N
Sobel
H
H
Isaacs
C
C
D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012737:Sex Factors