Psychiatric disorders in Norwegian 8- to 10-year-olds: an epidemiological survey of prevalence, risk factors, and service use.
OBJECTIVE
The Bergen Child Study is a longitudinal study of child mental health from the city of Bergen, Norway. We present methods and results from the first wave of the study, focusing on prevalence of disorders, associations with risk factors, and the use of services.


METHODS
The target population included all 9,430 children attending grades 2 to 4 in Bergen schools during the academic year 2002/2003. The main screening instrument was the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, whereas diagnoses were based on the Development and Well-Being Assessment. Information about child and family risk factors and service use was also obtained in this second stage.


RESULTS
In the first phase, the teacher Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was obtained for 9,155 (97%) of the target children and the matching parent Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for 6,297 (67%); 1,011 children (11%) were assessed with the Development and Well-Being Assessment in the second phase. The weighted prevalence for any DSM-IV psychiatric disorder was 7.0% (95% confidence interval 5.6%-8.5%). Disorders were associated with age, gender, learning difficulties, family type, and poverty. Although 75% of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder had been in contact with specialist mental health services, this was true for only 13% of those with pure emotional disorders.


CONCLUSIONS
The overall prevalence of psychiatric disorders in children is relatively low in this Norwegian sample, when assessed with the Development and Well-Being Assessment. Children with emotional disorders have limited access to specialist services.
Heiervang
Einar
E
Drs. Heiervang, Plessen, and Bjelland are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, Norway, and Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen; Drs. Stormark, Posserud, Ullebø, and Lie are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen; Dr. Lundervold is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and the Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen; Dr. Heimann is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, and Linköping University, Sweden; Dr. Goodman is with King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK; Dr. Gillberg is with Queen Silvia's Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden. Electronic address: einar.heiervang@rbup.uib.no.
Stormark
Kjell M
KM
Drs. Heiervang, Plessen, and Bjelland are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, Norway, and Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen; Drs. Stormark, Posserud, Ullebø, and Lie are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen; Dr. Lundervold is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and the Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen; Dr. Heimann is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, and Linköping University, Sweden; Dr. Goodman is with King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK; Dr. Gillberg is with Queen Silvia's Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Lundervold
Astri J
AJ
Drs. Heiervang, Plessen, and Bjelland are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, Norway, and Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen; Drs. Stormark, Posserud, Ullebø, and Lie are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen; Dr. Lundervold is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and the Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen; Dr. Heimann is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, and Linköping University, Sweden; Dr. Goodman is with King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK; Dr. Gillberg is with Queen Silvia's Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Heimann
Mikael
M
Drs. Heiervang, Plessen, and Bjelland are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, Norway, and Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen; Drs. Stormark, Posserud, Ullebø, and Lie are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen; Dr. Lundervold is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and the Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen; Dr. Heimann is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, and Linköping University, Sweden; Dr. Goodman is with King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK; Dr. Gillberg is with Queen Silvia's Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Goodman
Robert
R
Drs. Heiervang, Plessen, and Bjelland are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, Norway, and Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen; Drs. Stormark, Posserud, Ullebø, and Lie are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen; Dr. Lundervold is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and the Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen; Dr. Heimann is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, and Linköping University, Sweden; Dr. Goodman is with King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK; Dr. Gillberg is with Queen Silvia's Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Posserud
Maj-Britt
MB
Drs. Heiervang, Plessen, and Bjelland are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, Norway, and Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen; Drs. Stormark, Posserud, Ullebø, and Lie are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen; Dr. Lundervold is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and the Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen; Dr. Heimann is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, and Linköping University, Sweden; Dr. Goodman is with King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK; Dr. Gillberg is with Queen Silvia's Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Ullebø
Anne K
AK
Drs. Heiervang, Plessen, and Bjelland are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, Norway, and Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen; Drs. Stormark, Posserud, Ullebø, and Lie are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen; Dr. Lundervold is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and the Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen; Dr. Heimann is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, and Linköping University, Sweden; Dr. Goodman is with King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK; Dr. Gillberg is with Queen Silvia's Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Plessen
Kerstin J
KJ
Drs. Heiervang, Plessen, and Bjelland are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, Norway, and Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen; Drs. Stormark, Posserud, Ullebø, and Lie are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen; Dr. Lundervold is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and the Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen; Dr. Heimann is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, and Linköping University, Sweden; Dr. Goodman is with King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK; Dr. Gillberg is with Queen Silvia's Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Bjelland
Ingvar
I
Drs. Heiervang, Plessen, and Bjelland are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, Norway, and Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen; Drs. Stormark, Posserud, Ullebø, and Lie are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen; Dr. Lundervold is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and the Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen; Dr. Heimann is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, and Linköping University, Sweden; Dr. Goodman is with King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK; Dr. Gillberg is with Queen Silvia's Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Lie
Stein A
SA
Drs. Heiervang, Plessen, and Bjelland are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, Norway, and Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen; Drs. Stormark, Posserud, Ullebø, and Lie are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen; Dr. Lundervold is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and the Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen; Dr. Heimann is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, and Linköping University, Sweden; Dr. Goodman is with King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK; Dr. Gillberg is with Queen Silvia's Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Gillberg
Christopher
C
Drs. Heiervang, Plessen, and Bjelland are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, Norway, and Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen; Drs. Stormark, Posserud, Ullebø, and Lie are with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen; Dr. Lundervold is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and the Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen; Dr. Heimann is with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Bergen, and Linköping University, Sweden; Dr. Goodman is with King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK; Dr. Gillberg is with Queen Silvia's Children's Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors