Adolescent Mental Health Survey Research Articles

Service Contacts Among the Children Participating in the British Child and Adolescent Mental Health Surveys.

A third of the children from the 1999 British Child and Adolescent Mental Health Survey were followed up over 3 years. Parents provided summary information on service contacts for emotional, behavioural and concentration difficulties, with more detailed information being obtained by telephone interview for selected subgroups. Having a psychiatric disorder predicted substantially increased contact with social services, special educational needs resources, the youth justice system and mental health services (district CAMHS and tier four, but not tier two). Of those children with psychiatric disorders, 58% had been in contact with at least one of these services for help with emotional, behavioural or concentration difficulties, including 23% who had been in contact with mental health services. British children attend a wide variety of services for help with emotional, behavioural and concentration difficulties. The proportion seeing specialist mental health services is higher than that generally reported in the research literature.

Time trends in adolescent mental health

Background: Existing evidence points to a substantial rise in psychosocial disorders affecting young people over the past 50 years (Rutter & Smith, 1995). However, there are major methodological challenges in providing conclusive answers about secular changes in disorder. Comparisons of rates of disorder at different time points are often affected by changes in diagnostic criteria, differences in assessment methods, and changes in official reporting practices. Few studies have examined this issue using the same instruments at each time point.Methods: The current study assessed the extent to which conduct, hyperactive and emotional problems have become more common over a 25‐year period in three general population samples of UK adolescents. The samples used in this study were the adolescent sweeps of the National Child Development Study and the 1970 Birth Cohort Study, and the 1999 British Child and Adolescent Mental Health Survey. Comparable questionnaires were completed by parents of 15–16‐year‐olds at each time point (1974, 1986, and 1999).Results and conclusions: Results showed a substantial increase in adolescent conduct problems over the 25‐year study period that has affected males and females, all social classes and all family types. There was also evidence for a recent rise in emotional problems, but mixed evidence in relation to rates of hyperactive behaviour. Further analyses using longitudinal data from the first two cohorts showed that long‐term outcomes for adolescents with conduct problems were closely similar. This provided evidence that observed trends were unaffected by possible changes in reporting thresholds.

Time trends in adolescent mental health.

Existing evidence points to a substantial rise in psychosocial disorders affecting young people over the past 50 years (Rutter & Smith, 1995). However, there are major methodological challenges in providing conclusive answers about secular changes in disorder. Comparisons of rates of disorder at different time points are often affected by changes in diagnostic criteria, differences in assessment methods, and changes in official reporting practices. Few studies have examined this issue using the same instruments at each time point. The current study assessed the extent to which conduct, hyperactive and emotional problems have become more common over a 25-year period in three general population samples of UK adolescents. The samples used in this study were the adolescent sweeps of the National Child Development Study and the 1970 Birth Cohort Study, and the 1999 British Child and Adolescent Mental Health Survey. Comparable questionnaires were completed by parents of 15-16-year-olds at each time point (1974, 1986, and 1999). Results showed a substantial increase in adolescent conduct problems over the 25-year study period that has affected males and females, all social classes and all family types. There was also evidence for a recent rise in emotional problems, but mixed evidence in relation to rates of hyperactive behaviour. Further analyses using longitudinal data from the first two cohorts showed that long-term outcomes for adolescents with conduct problems were closely similar. This provided evidence that observed trends were unaffected by possible changes in reporting thresholds.

Childhood psychiatric disorder and unintentional injury: findings from a national cohort study.

We set out to examine the relationship between unintentional injury and common child psychiatric disorders, including both internalizing and externalizing diagnoses. The 1999 British Child and Adolescent Mental Health Survey provided a nationally representative sample of over 10,000 children aged 5-15 years. Measures included assessment of diagnoses of psychiatric disorder from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, unintentional injury, and a range of potentially related psychosocial factors. Children with psychiatric disorders had higher rates of unintentional injury. After accounting for psychosocial risk factors and comorbid psychopathology, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) was independently associated with burns and poisoning. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was related to fractures, and depression and anxiety also showed independent links to some injury types. ODD and ADHD, rather than conduct disorder, appear to be the externalizing disorders associated with unintentional injury. We discuss possible models of the relationships between internalizing disorders and unintentional injury.

The British Child and Adolescent Mental Health Survey 1999: The Prevalence of DSM-IV Disorders

To describe the prevalence of DSM-IV disorders and comorbidity in a large population-based sample of British children and adolescents. Using a one-phase design, 10,438 children were assessed using the Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA), a structured interview with verbatim reports reviewed by clinicians so that information from parents, teachers, and children was combined in a manner that emulated the clinical process. The authors' analysis examined comorbidity and the influence of teacher reports. The overall prevalence of DSM-IV disorders was 9.5% (95% confidence interval 8.8-10.1%), but 2.1% of children were assigned "not otherwise specified" rather than operationalized diagnoses. After adjusting for the presence of a third disorder, there was no longer significant comorbidity between anxiety and conduct disorder or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or between depression and oppositional defiant disorder. A comparison of the disorders in children with and without teacher reports suggested that the prevalence of conduct disorders and ADHD would be underestimated in the absence of teacher information. Roughly 1 in 10 children have at least one DSM-IV disorder, involving a level of distress or social impairment likely to warrant treatment. Comorbidity reported between some childhood diagnoses may be due to the association of both disorders with a third. Diagnoses of conduct disorder and ADHD may be missed if information is not sought from teachers about children's functioning in school.

A population survey of mental health problems in children with epilepsy

The 1999 British Child and Adolescent Mental Health Survey, a nationwide epidemiological study of rates of psychiatric disorder in children aged 5 to 15 years, provided the opportunity to investigate the mental health of children with epilepsy. These children and their families experience disability specifically because of additional emotional, behavioural, and relationship problems, and this is the first epidemiological study that directly measures these impairments. Information was obtained by interviewing a main carer and teacher for 10316 children; 67 children with epilepsy were identified (35 males, 32 females; mean age 10 years 2 months, SD 2 years 11 months, range 5 to 15 years), and compared with the 47 children with diabetes (27 females, 20 males; mean age 10 years 4 months, SD 3 years 4 months, range 5 to 15 years) and 10202 controls (50% male; mean age 9 years 11 months, SD 3 years 1 month, range 5 to 15 years). DSM‐IV psychiatric diagnoses were derived from the Development and Well‐Being Assessment in combination with the interview and a specialist clinician rating. Parental reports of emotional and behavioural problems, their impact, and associated peer problems were also obtained. Rates of psychiatric disorder were 37% (95% confidence interval [CI] 22 to 49) in epilepsy, 11% (95% CI 2 to 19%) in diabetes, and 9% (95% CI 9 to 10%) in control children. Parents of children with epilepsy consistently reported more problems, with greater impact and associated peer problems. Epilepsy, but not diabetes, was independently (adjusted for age, sex, and severe learning difficulties) associated with all behavioural variables in regression analyses. Emotional, behavioural, and relationship difficulties are common in children with epilepsy, and constitute a significant burden to the children and their families, indicating the need for effective mental health services for these children.

A population survey of mental health problems in children with epilepsy.

The 1999 British Child and Adolescent Mental Health Survey, a nationwide epidemiological study of rates of psychiatric disorder in children aged 5 to 15 years, provided the opportunity to investigate the mental health of children with epilepsy. These children and their families experience disability specifically because of additional emotional, behavioural, and relationship problems, and this is the first epidemiological study that directly measures these impairments. Information was obtained by interviewing a main carer and teacher for 10,316 children; 67 children with epilepsy were identified (35 males, 32 females; mean age 10 years 2 months, SD 2 years 11 months, range 5 to 15 years), and compared with the 47 children with diabetes (27 females, 20 males; mean age 10 years 4 months, SD 3 years 4 months, range 5 to 15 years) and 10,202 controls (50% male; mean age 9 years 11 months, SD 3 years 1 month, range 5 to 15 years). DSM-IV psychiatric diagnoses were derived from the Development and Well-Being Assessment in combination with the interview and a specialist clinician rating. Parental reports of emotional and behavioural problems, their impact, and associated peer problems were also obtained. Rates of psychiatric disorder were 37% (95% confidence interval [CI] 22 to 49) in epilepsy, 11% (95% CI 2 to 19%) in diabetes, and 9% (95% CI 9 to 10%) in control children. Parents of children with epilepsy consistently reported more problems, with greater impact and associated peer problems. Epilepsy, but not diabetes, was independently (adjusted for age, sex, and severe learning difficulties) associated with all behavioural variables in regression analyses. Emotional, behavioural, and relationship difficulties are common in children with epilepsy, and constitute a significant burden to the children and their families, indicating the need for effective mental health services for these children.

Prevalence of pervasive developmental disorders in the British nationwide survey of child mental health

The prevalence of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) is not well established and needs monitoring. We investigated the prevalence of PDDs in the 1999 nationwide British survey of child and adolescent mental health. A randomized stratified sample of children (n = 12,529) aged 5-15 was generated from Child Benefit Records. Trained interviewers interviewed parents and youths aged 11 or older with a standardized diagnostic interview (Development and Well-Being Assessment) and questionnaire data (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) were obtained from teachers and parents who also completed self-report measures of psychological distress. A team of experienced clinicians using all data sources achieved final diagnostic determination. A total of 10,438 (83%) interviews were conducted. There were two girls with Rett syndrome (weighted prevalence: 3.8/10,000 girls) and 27 children with other PDDs (weighted prevalence: 26.1/10,000). Compared to children with a psychiatric disorder other than PDD, social but not behavioural problems were more frequent in the PDD group. Parents of children with PDDs had higher rates of psychological distress than those from the two comparison groups. Consistent with other recent surveys, PDD rates are higher than those reported 30 years ago. The burden associated with PDDs is very high.

Prevalence of Pervasive Developmental Disorders in the British Nationwide Survey of Child Mental Health

The prevalence of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) is not well established and needs monitoring. The prevalence of PDD in the 1999 nationwide British survey of child and adolescent mental health was investigated. A randomized, stratified sample of children (N= 12,529) aged 5 to 15 years was generated from the Child Benefit Register. Trained interviewers interviewed parents and youths aged 11 or older with a standardized diagnostic interview (Development and Well-Being Assessment), and questionnaire data (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) were obtained from teachers and parents, who also completed self-report measures of psychological distress. Final diagnostic determination was achieved by a team of experienced clinicians using all data sources. A total of 10,438 (83%) interviews were conducted. There were 2 girls with Rett syndrome (weighted prevalence: 3.8/10,000 girls) and 27 children with other PDD (weighted prevalence: 26.1/10,000). Compared with children with a psychiatric disorder other than PDD, social but not behavioral problems were more frequent in the PDD group. Parents of children with PDD had higher rates of psychological distress than those from the two comparison groups. Consistent with other recent surveys, PDD rates are higher than those reported 30 years ago. The burden associated with PDD is very high.

Continuous electroencephalographic recording to detect seizures in paralysed newborn babies.

<h3>Background</h3> Previous studies document a mental health advantage in British Indian children, the causes of which are unknown. <h3>Methods</h3> Our subjects were 13 836 White children and 361 Indian children aged 5–16 years in the British Child and Adolescent Mental Health Surveys. Mental health was assessed using the parent, teacher and child Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQs), and multi-informant clinician-rated diagnoses. Multiple child, family, school and area factors were examined as possible mediators or confounders of ethnic differences. <h3>Results</h3> Indian children had a large advantage for externalising problems/disorders, and no difference for internalising problems/disorders. This was observed across all outcomes, and psychometric analyses provided no suggestion of information bias. The Indian advantage for externalising problems was partly mediated by Indian children being more likely to live in two-parent families and less likely to have academic difficulties. Yet after adjusting for these and all other covariates, the unexplained Indian advantage only reduced by a quarter (from 1.08 to 0.71 parent SDQ points) and remained highly significant. This Indian advantage was largely confined to families of low socio-economic position. <h3>Conclusion</h3> The Indian mental health advantage is real and is specific to externalising problems. Family type and academic abilities mediate part of the advantage, but most is not explained by major risk factors. Likewise unexplained is the absence in Indian children of a socio-economic gradient in mental health. Further investigation of the Indian advantage may yield insights into novel ways to promote child mental health and mental health equity in all ethnic groups.