Mental health disorders in children of non-drug-abusing parents: a sample from a rural community devastated by methamphetamine.
A representative sample of 58 preschoolers (aged 4 and 5) and 78 school-age children (aged 8 and 9) from methamphetamine-producing (MP) and non-producing (NP) homes was drawn from a rural county in Tennessee, for two separate studies. The researchers assessed the psychological functioning of the children using age appropriate Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) forms, and compared the scores of children with NP status with population-based data. The results indicate that in this rural sample, the prevalence of internalizing and externalizing disorders in children from NP homes was higher than in population-based norms. Specifically, the preschoolers showed a higher rate of depression, and the school-age children had higher rates of anxiety, depression, and atypical behaviors than their population-based peers. The results are interpreted in terms of low SES and accessibility to mental health services in rural communities. The authors suggest nurse practitioners include brief psychological screenings in their assessment protocols for this population.
Department of Psychology, College of Staten Island/City University of New York, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA. comfort.asanbe@csi.cuny.edu
Comfort B
CB
Asanbe
Charlene
C
Hall
Charles
C
Bolden
D019969:Amphetamine-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008694:Methamphetamine; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013714:Tennessee / Q000453:epidemiology
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008694:Methamphetamine