Attention and behavioural problems of Finnish adolescents may be related to the family environment.
BACKGROUND
Adolescents' attention and behavioural problems in relation to the family environment were studied in the Northern Finland 1986 Birth Cohort.


METHODS
Fifteen-year-old adolescents (N=6888) completed the Youth Self-Report (YSR) questionnaire and their parents (N=6643) completed the Strengths and Weaknesses in ADHD and Normal Behaviours (SWAN) questionnaire. The ratings were compared in relation to gender and family characteristics.


RESULTS
Girls scored higher than boys on the YSR attention problems subscale (means 4.61 vs. 3.41), the rule-breaking behaviour subscale (means 4.25 vs. 3.69) and the aggressive behaviour subscale (means 7.18 vs. 5.63). Parents reported more SWAN attention problems in their sons than in their daughters. Living in an other than intact family increased YSR and SWAN attention problems and YSR behavioural problems in both genders. Adolescents living in very large families (11-19 children) had least attention and behavioural problems.


CONCLUSIONS
Attention and behavioural problems seem to be common among adolescents in Finland. For both genders, living in other than intact families increases especially behavioural problems. Additionally, a very large family seems to be a protective factor against those problems.
Hurtig
Tuula
T
Department of Public Health Science and General Practice, University of Oulu, 5000, 90014, Finland. tuula.hurtig@oulu.fi
Taanila
Anja
A
Ebeling
Hanna
H
Miettunen
Jouko
J
Moilanen
Irma
I
D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012647:Self-Assessment