Mental health problems in children and adolescents referred to a national epilepsy center.

Full Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of psychiatric morbidity in children and adolescents referred to a tertiary national epilepsy center (inpatient unit) and the extent of the unmet need for psychiatric services in this group. Participants were 74 children and adolescents aged 9-15 referred from February 2001 to October 2002 (67% response rate). The multi-informant (parent, teacher, self-report) Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQs) were answered before or at admission. Patients with severe mental retardation or pervasive developmental disorder were excluded. We found a large proportion (77%) with a possible or probable psychiatric disorder. The parents, teachers, and adolescents themselves had higher mean SDQ scores than a British community sample on total difficulties, emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity-inattention, peer problems, and impairment, but not self-reported conduct problems. Nearly 80% of the children who probably had a psychiatric disorder had no contact with the psychiatric service.

Author information

Author/s: Hanssen-Bauer, Ketil (K); Heyerdahl, Sonja (S); Eriksson, Ann-Sofie (AS);

Affiliation: Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway,Oslo, Norway. ketil.hanssen-bauer(-atsign-)r-bup.no

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Epilepsy & behavior : E&B (Epilepsy Behav), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Mar; vol 10 (issue 2) : pp 255-62

Dates: Created 2007/03/26; Completed 2007/06/06;

PMID: 17218156, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

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