Prevelance of mental disorders and associated factors in institutionalized 3-5 year old children.
OBJECTIVE
In this study, we aimed to determine the prevelance and severity of mental disorders in institutionalized children between the ages of 3-5 years, investigate the factors associated with the mental disorders and compare these findings with the data of a community sample composed of children who were raised by their own families.


METHODS
Thirty-four children raised in three institutions in Kocaeli were compared with an age- and sex-matched community sample. Children were assessed according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. The Socio-demographic information form, and Early Childhood Inventory-4 (ECI-4) parent scale were used for data collection.


RESULTS
Children that were reared in institutions had evidence of higher rates of mental disorders. In institution-reared children, symptom severity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, reactive attachment disorder, oppositional deficient disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder were higher than the community subjects. Age, time spent with father, duration of institutionalization, number of siblings, number of hospital admissions because of physical symptoms and presence of abuse before institutional care were determined to be predictive factors for psychiatric symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings revealed that institutionalized children are at risk for mental disorders and protective measures are as important as instutional care for these children. Our results suggest that essential steps should be taken to protect the mental health of children in institutional care.
Sakarya Training and Research Hospital, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Sakarya, Turkey. ayazmuhammed@yahoo.com
Muhammed
M
Ayaz
Ayşe Burcu
AB
Ayaz
Saziye Senem
SS
Başgül
Işik
I
Karakaya
Sahika
S
Gülen Şişmanlar
Ahmet
A
Yar
Ekrem
E
Sentürk
Sema
S
Dikmen
D002662:Child Health Services; D002674:Child, Institutionalized; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology