title: Psychological problems of Iranian children and adolescents: parent report form of Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of psychological problems Iranian children and adolescents have, using parent report form of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).
  
  
  METHODS
  In a community-based study, 9636 children and adolescents aged 6-17 years were selected using the multistage cluster random sampling method from five provinces of Iran: Tehran, Isfahan, Fars, Razavi Khorasan and East Azerbaijan. The parents completed the SDQ, which consisted of five subscales including emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems and prosocial behaviors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results revealed 21.4% of emotional problems, 32.9% of conduct problems, 20% of hyperactivity, 25.6% of peer problems, 7.6% of problems in prosocial behaviors and 16.7% of total difficulties among Iranian children and adolescents. We found that emotional problems were more prevalent among girls, while conduct problems, hyperactivity, total difficulties and problems in prosocial behaviors were more prevalent among boys. High educational level of parents was a protective factor against some psychological problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considering the proportion of psychological problems in Iranian children and adolescents, we need to develop and implement special policies and programs to provide appropriate mental health services.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry and Psychology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran .
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salmanian
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghanizadeh
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alavi
authors.forename: Ayyoub
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malek
authors.forename: Heidar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fathzadeh
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moharreri
authors.forename: Paria
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hebrani
authors.forename: Soror
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arman
authors.forename: Javad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Khoshhal Dastjerdi
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Motavallian
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010290:Parents; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Adolescents; Iran; Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; children; emotional and behavioral problems