Parental perception of problems and mental health service use for hyperactivity.
OBJECTIVE
To examine predictors of parental perception of hyperactivity as a serious problem and its role in determining the use of specialist mental health services.


METHODS
A community sample of 5- to 11-year-old children with pervasive hyperactivity (n = 93) was identified. Children whose parents perceived the hyperactivity as a serious problem were compared with those whose parents did not. Predictors of parental perception of problem and the roles of this and child and parent clinical factors in predicting service use were examined.


RESULTS
Controlling for child and parental mental health, the strongest predictor of parental perception of problems was the financial impact of the child's behavior on either parent's work (odds ratio [OR] = 17.43; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.52-86.40). Other effects on the parent's working ability were also important. Parental perception of problems was the strongest predictor of service use (OR = 9.85; 95% CI 1.42-68.50).


CONCLUSIONS
The effects of child behavior difficulties on perceptions of caregivers are multidimensional. The impact of hyperactivity on parents' work and family finances is substantial. Mental health service use is increased if these impacts reach the threshold for the parent to perceive the child's behavior as a problem.
Sayal
Kapil
K
Department of Child Psychiatry, Box P085, Institute of Psychiatry, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, England. k.sayal@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Taylor
Eric
E
Beecham
Jennifer
J
D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations