title: Prevalence of psychiatric disorders among children of different ethnic origin.
abstract: The present study assesses the population prevalence of DSM-IV disorders among native and immigrant children living in low socio-economic status (SES) inner-city neighborhoods in the Netherlands. In the first phase of a two-phase epidemiological design, teachers screened an ethnically diverse sample of 2041 children aged 6-10 years using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). In the second phase, a subsample of 253 children was psychiatrically examined, while their parents were interviewed. In addition, teachers completed a short questionnaire about 10 DSM-IV items. Prevalence was estimated using the best-estimate diagnosis based on parent, child and teacher information. Projected to the total population, 11% of the children had one or more impairing psychiatric disorders, which did not differ between native and non-native children. In the total group a clear relationship was observed between the prevalence of psychiatric disorders and gender, parental psychopathology, peer problems and school problems, but not among all ethnic groups separately. This study suggests that the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among non-treated minority and native children in low SES inner-city neighborhoods does not materially differ. However, associated mechanisms may be influenced by ethnicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Zwirs@frg.eur.nl
authors.forename: Barbara W C
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Zwirs
authors.forename: Huibert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Burger
authors.forename: Tom W J
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Schulpen
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wiznitzer
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fedder
authors.forename: Jan K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Buitelaar
mesh_terms: D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D001010:Anxiety, Separation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D009018:Morocco / Q000208:ethnology; D009426:Netherlands; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D013532:Suriname / Q000208:ethnology; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*