Comparing the prevalence of mental health problems in children 6-11 across Europe.
Worldwide, approximately one in eight children or adolescents suffer from a mental disorder. The present study was designed to determine the cross-national prevalence of mental health problems in children aged 6-11 across seven European countries including Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey.



Data were collected on 7682 children for whom either parent- or teacher SDQ were completed.



The present study provides country-specific normative banding for both parent- and teacher SDQ scores. Overall, 12.8 % of children have any probable disorder, with rates ranging from 15.5 % in Lithuania to 7.8 % in Italy, 3.8 % of children have a probable emotional disorder, 8.4 % probable conduct disorder, and 2.0 % probable hyperactivity/inattention. However, when adjusting for key sociodemographic variables and parental psychological distress, country of residence did not predict the odds of having any disorder. For specific disorders, however, country of residence does have an effect on the odds of presenting with mental health problems.



As normative data are key in the comparison of mental health status on an international level, the present data considerably advance the possibilities of future research. Furthermore, the findings underline the importance of controlling for a number of sociodemographic and parental variables when conducting international comparisons of child mental health. In addition, the findings suggest that efforts are needed locally to assist in the detection and prevention of parental psychological distress.
Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.|EHESP French School of Public Health, Paris, France.
Viviane
V
Kovess-Masfety
Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France. mathilde-maya.husky@u-bordeaux.fr.|INSERM U1219, Université de Bordeaux, Institut Universitaire de France, 3 ter, place de la Victoire, 33076, Bordeaux, France. mathilde-maya.husky@u-bordeaux.fr.
Mathilde M
0000-0001-5314-1403
MM
Husky
Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Katherine
K
Keyes
Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Ava
A
Hamilton
EHESP French School of Public Health, Paris, France.
Ondine
O
Pez
The Romanian League for Mental Health, Bucharest, Romania.
Adina
A
Bitfoi
Centro di Psichiatria di Consulenza e Psicosomatica Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
Mauro Giovanni
MG
Carta
Institute of Psychology, University of Koblenz-Landau, Koblenz, Germany.
Dietmar
D
Goelitz
Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Rowella
R
Kuijpers
Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Roy
R
Otten
Yeniden Health and Education Society, Istanbul, Turkey.
Ceren
C
Koç
Clinic of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Vilnius, Vilnius, Lithuania.
Sigita
S
Lesinskiene
New Bulgarian University, Sophia, Bulgaria.
Zlatka
Z
Mihova
D002031:Bulgaria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008097:Lithuania / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
Children; Cross-national; Epidemiology; Mental health; Prevalence; Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire