title: Diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders in children with a schizophrenic parent.
abstract: Many children of a schizophrenic parent may inherit a portion of the genetic risk factors for schizophrenia. The frequency of DSM-IV psychopathology in children of a schizophrenic parent and the frequency and type of mental health treatment accessed by these youths is not well understood. Twenty-eight adults with schizophrenia were identified and 43 of their 6--15 year old children recruited. Clinical diagnoses, based on a structured DSM-IV interview; severity of impairment, based on the Child Global Assessment Scale; and treatment histories were obtained. Seventy-four per cent of children-with-a-schizophrenic-parent met diagnostic criteria for a current Axis I psychiatric disorder. The most common diagnostic categories included attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (40%), any anxiety disorder (23%), and any depressive disorder (12%). Psychosis was present in 9% of this childhood sample. Of those children with a psychiatric diagnosis, 47% demonstrated current moderate or severe impairment. Approximately half of the children had received mental health evaluations and 26% had experienced at least one psychiatric medication trial. Children-with-a-schizophrenic-parent have frequent, often impairing, psychiatric problems. Despite this high prevalence, mental health evaluation and treatment is of similar frequency and type to other at-risk populations. The effectiveness and appropriateness of standard treatments remain unstudied in children-with-a-schizophrenic-parent.
authors.affiliation: Denver Veterans Administration Medical Center, Research Services (151), 1055 Clermont Street, Denver, CO 80220, USA. randy.ross@uchsc.edu
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Compagnon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index