Mental health of preschool children and their mothers in a mixed urban/rural population. I. Prevalence and ecological factors.
BACKGROUND
The prevalence rate of behaviour problems and maternal mental disturbance was estimated using a sample of 1047 families with a 3-year-old child from a mixed urban/rural area.


METHODS
Parents completed the Child Behaviour Checklist, EAS Temperament Questionnaire, Weiss-Werry-Peters Activity Scale and the GHQ-30.


RESULTS
The rate of behaviour problems (13.2%) was similar to that obtained in studies of urban children. The rate of maternal disturbance (27.6%) was lower than in other population samples. Few differences were found in the prevalence rates in the urban and rural areas.


CONCLUSIONS
Preschool children and their parents living in non-urban areas had the same rates of problems as those in conurbations. The service needs of such families are similar regardless of locality.
Thompson
M J
MJ
Child Psychiatry Department, Southampton Health District.
Stevenson
J
J
Sonuga-Barke
E
E
Nott
P
P
Bhatti
Z
Z
Price
A
A
Hudswell
M
M
D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012931:Social Environment; D013694:Temperament; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*