title: Parent-reported mental health in preschoolers: findings using a diagnostic interview.
abstract: Previous research suggests that many preschoolers meet criteria for psychiatric diagnoses; still, relatively little is known about preschool mental health, particularly emotional problems, in the community. This study investigated the rates of parent-reported DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision) disorders in a large community sample of preschoolers using the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment (PAPA). Five hundred forty-one parents were interviewed with the PAPA. Of the children, 27.4% met criteria for a PAPA/DSM-IV diagnosis; 9.2% met criteria for 2 or more diagnoses. Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) (9.4%), specific phobia (9.1%), and separation anxiety disorder (5.4%) were the most common diagnoses; depression (1.8%), selective mutism (1.5%), and panic disorder (0.2%) were the least common. In addition, there was significant comorbidity/covariation between depression, anxiety, and ODD and between ODD and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (odds ratios = 1.81-18.44; P < .05), and significant associations with measures of psychosocial functioning. The stability and clinical significance of diagnoses and patterns of comorbidity must be elucidated in future research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, NY 11794-2500, USA. sara.bufferd@stonybrook.edu
authors.forename: Sara J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Bufferd
authors.forename: Lea R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Dougherty
authors.forename: Gabrielle A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.forename: Daniel N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Klein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008603:Mental Health; D010290:Parents; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires