Published in:
01-01-2014 | Original Paper
Prevalence of DSM-IV disorders, comorbidity and impairment in 3-year-old Spanish preschoolers
Authors:
Lourdes Ezpeleta, Núria de la Osa, Josep M. Doménech
Published in:
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
|
Issue 1/2014
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Abstract
Purpose
The goal is to examine the prevalence, comorbidity and impairment of DSM-IV disorders in 3-year-old children from the Spanish general population.
Method
A sample of 1,341 3-year-old preschoolers were randomly selected and screened for a double-phase design. In total, 622 families were assessed with a diagnostic semi-structured interview and functional impairment measures.
Results
Prevalence of any diagnosis was 29.9 %, the most prevalent disorders being primary insomnia (11.7 %) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) (6.9 %). There were no sex differences in the prevalence. One-third of the families had sought professional help for the child’s symptoms, and 9.4 % received treatment (4.4 % psychological and 2.1 % pharmacological). After controlling for other comorbidities, ADHD was significantly associated with ODD, CD, insomnia and social phobia; ODD was associated with CD, separation anxiety, specific phobia and major depression. Diagnostic categories were associated with impairment, family burden, seeking professional help and receiving treatment. A diagnosis was more frequent in children of low socioeconomic status, born outside Spain, from one-parent families, with younger parents and with parents of lower educational level.
Conclusions
Psychopathology, comorbidity and associated factors are very frequent from age three, suggesting a need for efforts of detection, prevention and treatment in the different societies.