Risk factors for psychopathology in children with intellectual disability: a prospective longitudinal population-based study.
BACKGROUND
This study examined risk factors for the development of psychopathology in children with intellectual disability (ID) in the developmental, biological, family and social-ecological domains.


METHODS
A population sample of 968 children, aged 6-18, enrolled in special schools in The Netherlands for educable and trainable ID were assessed at Time 1. A random 58% were re-contacted about 1 year later, resulting in a sample of 474 at Time 2.


RESULTS
Psychopathology was highly consistent over 1 year. Risk factors jointly accounted for significant, but small, portions of the variance in development of psychopathology. Child physical symptoms, family dysfunction and previous parental mental health treatment reported at Time 1 were uniquely associated with new psychopathology at Time 2.


CONCLUSIONS
Prevention and early intervention research to find ways to reduce the incidence of psychopathology, possibly targeting family functioning, appear important.
Wallander
J L
JL
Sociometrics Corporation, Los Altos, CA 94022-2812, USA. janw@socio.com
Dekker
M C
MC
Koot
H M
HM
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D004495:Education of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D009426:Netherlands; D016487:Parenting; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011599:Psychopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic