Change in children's emotional and behavioural problems over a one-year period : Associations with parental problem recognition and service use

• Published in: European child & adolescent psychiatry Vol. 15; no. 3; pp. 127 - 131
• Main Authors: ZWAANSWIJK, Marieke, VERHAAK, Peter F. M, VAN DER ENDE, Jan, BENSING, Jozien M, VERHULST, Frank C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.04.2006; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent Health Services - utilization; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Affective Symptoms - diagnosis; Affective Symptoms - psychology; Age; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child & adolescent psychiatry; Child Behavior Disorders - diagnosis; Child Behavior Disorders - psychology; Child clinical studies; Child Health Services - utilization; Child, Preschool; Children & youth; Female; Gender; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health services; Humans; Male; Mass Screening - methods; Medical sciences; Mental health care; Mental Health Services - utilization; Miscellaneous; Netherlands; Observer Variation; Parents & parenting; Parents - education; Parents - psychology; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Recognition (Psychology); Recurrence; Sociodemographics; Teachers; Teenagers; Netherlands; Human; Parent; Use; Health service; service use; Medical screening; child and adolescent psychopathology; Behavioral disorder; Symptomatology; longitudinal change; Adolescent; Mental disorder; problem recognition; Evolution; Child; Public health
• ISSN: 1018-8827; 1435-165X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00787-005-0513-4

Although children with emotional or behavioural problems are at increased risk of future problems, knowledge of factors associated with persistence and change in child problems, once these problems exist, is limited. Using repeated measures analyses of variance, the present study investigated the association of parental problem recognition, professional and informal service use, and sociodemographic factors with change in child problems over a one-year period, in a sample of 360 children and adolescents with emotional and behavioural problems. Higher overall problem levels were found in children (aged 4-11 years at baseline) versus adolescents (aged 12-17 years), in boys, and in children with less educated parents, which indicates the need to address preventive actions at these groups. Although rates of service use were low, children who had been in contact with general practitioners or mental health services had higher overall problem levels, suggesting that children who need it most end up receiving professional care. Although child emotional and behavioural problems decreased significantly over time, this change was not associated with utilisation of professional or informal services. Our findings imply the need for methodologically sound research into the effectiveness of professional and informal services for child emotional and behavioural problems.