Published in:
01-08-2016
Prevalence of Psychiatric Symptoms and Mental Health Services in Students with Specific Learning Disabilities in Tehran, Iran
Authors:
Samaneh Karamali Esmaili, Narges Shafaroodi, Afsoon Hassani Mehraban, Akram Parand, Mostafa Qorbani, Farzaneh Yazdani, Azita Mahmoudpour
Published in:
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction
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Issue 4/2016
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Abstract
Children with specific learning disabilities are at a greater risk of mental health problems than their non-disabled peers. Further interventions and research will be required. This is a cross-sectional study. A sample of 107 students (7 to 11 years old) with specific learning disabilities were randomly selected from educational and rehabilitation settings in Tehran. The Child Symptom Inventory-4 (CSI-4) (parent checklist) was administered. Among children studied, 86 subjects (82.8 %) in some of the categories of psychiatric symptoms gained scores above the cut-off point. The most prevalent psychiatric symptoms were related to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and oppositional defiant disorder. There were not any statistically significant differences between the genders. In addition to direct education, 15 subjects (14 %) were receiving medication, 2 subjects (1.9 %) were receiving only occupational therapy, 2 subjects (1.9 %) were receiving only speech therapy, and 5 subjects (4.7 %) were receiving both occupational and speech therapy. The emphasis on considering co-morbid symptoms and usage of mental health services are important issues for students with specific learning difficulties.