title: Demographic and perinatal factors for behavioral problems among children aged 4-9 in Taiwan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of age, gender, prenatal/perinatal factors, and maternal psychological distress on childhood emotional/behavioral problems, and the gender difference in the patterns of comorbid emotional/behavioral problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample included 1391 children aged 4-9 in Taipei using a multi-stage sampling method. Their mothers completed questionnaires including demographics, prenatal/perinatal variables, the Child Behavior Checklist, and the Chinese Health Questionnaire. The linear and non-linear mixed model was used for data analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Boys scored higher on externalizing problems, and girls scored higher on internalizing problems. Gender also modified the comorbid patterns of emotional/behavioral problems. Aggressive behaviors decreased, but attention and thought problems increased with age. Prenatal/perinatal exposure to alcohol and coffee, vaginal bleeding, and gestational diabetes, low birthweight, and postnatal incubation and resuscitation, and maternal psychological distress predicted the risk for several childhood emotional/behavioral problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prenatal/perinatal and maternal care, and gender-specific measures are important for prevention of childhood emotional/behavioral problems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yen-Nan
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Susan Shur-Fen
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Gau
authors.forename: Wen-Che
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Wei-Tsuen
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Soong
authors.forename: Chi-Yung
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Shang
mesh_terms: D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology