A pilot study for a Quebec Child Mental Health Survey was completed in 1990 with 139 children aged six to 14 years from the general population. Six month prevalence estimates for seven disorders were established using DSM-HI-R criteria alone and in combination with an impairment index related to the diagnoses. Prevalence estimates were studied separately for parents and children. Each age group (six to 11, 12 to 14) was also studied separately. The impairment index, working as a severity scale, lowered prevalence estimates and allowed identification of impairing and non impairing diagnoses. Little overlap was found between informants.
References
1.
CostelloEJ. Developments in child psychiatric epidemiology. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry1989; 28(6): 836–841.
2.
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder, third edition.Washington DC: American Psychiatric Press, Inc., 1980
3.
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder, third edition, revised.Washington DC: American Psychiatric Press, Inc., 1987
4.
RutterM, ShafferD.DSM-III, a step forward or back in terms of the classification of child psychiatric disorders. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry1980; 19(3): 371–394.
5.
MashEJ, TerdalLG. Behavioral assessment of child and family disturbance. In: MashEJ, TerdalLG, eds. Behavioral assessment of childhood disorders, second edition.New-York: The Guilford Press, 1988: 3–65.
6.
BirdHR, YagerTJ, StaghezzaB, Impairment in the epidemiological measurement of childhood psychopathology in the community. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry1990; 29(5): 796–803.
7.
ShafferD, BirdH, LeafP, The Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC-2): use in the multi-site epidemiological survey of mental disorders in child and adolescent populations and implications for revision. I. Test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and supplemental materials. Presented at the annual meeting of the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,Chicago IL, 1990.
8.
VallaJP, BérubéH, BergeronL.Validity and reliability of a cartoon-like questionnaire to assess mental health status of primary school children. Communication presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, New Orleans LA, 1991.
9.
VerhulstFC, BerdenGFM, Sanders-WoudstraJAR. Mental health in Dutch children. II. The prevalence of psychiatric disorder and relationship between measures. Acta Psychiatr Scand1985; 72: 1–45.
10.
OffordDR, BoyleMH, SzatmariP, Ontario Child Health Study. II. Six-month prevalence of disorder and rates of service utilisation. Arch Gen Psychiatry1987; 44: 832–836.
11.
AndersonJC, WilliamsS, McGeeR, DSM-III disorders in preadolescent children. Prevalence in a large sample from the general population. Arch Gen Psychiatry1987; 44: 69–76.
12.
BirdHR, CaninoG, Rubio-StipecM, Estimates of the prevalence of childhood maladjustment in a community survey in Puerto Rico. Arch Gen Psychiatry1988; 45: 1120–1126.
13.
VelezCN, JohnsonJ, CohenP.A longitudinal analysis of selected risk factors for childhood psychopathology. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry1989; 28: 861–864.
14.
BretonJJ, VallaJP, BergeronL.Objectifs, pertinence et méthodologie de l'enquête québécoise sur la santé mentale des enfants et adolescent(e)s de 6 à 14 ans. Santé Mentale au Québec (sous presse).
15.
BergeronL, VallaJP, BretonJJ. Pilot study for the Quebec Child Mental Health Survey: part II. Correlates of DSM-III-R criteria among six to 14 year olds. Can J Psychiatry1992; 37(6): 381–386.
16.
BrandenburgNA, FriedmanRM, StarrES. The epidemiology of childhood psychiatric disorders: prevalence findings from recent studies. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry1990; 29(1): 76–83.
17.
AchenbachTM, EdelbrockCS. Manual for the Child Behavior Checklist and Revised Child Behavior Profile.Burlington VT: Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, 1983.
18.
CostelloEJ, EdelbrockCS, CostelloAJ. Validity of the NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children: a comparison between pediatric and psychiatric referrals. J Abnorm Child Psychol1985; 13: 579–595.
19.
WeissmanMM, WickramaratneP, WarnerV, Assessing psychiatric disorders in children. Arch Gen Psychiatry1985; 44: 747–753.
20.
HerjanicB, ReichW.Development of a structured psychiatric interview for children: agreement between child and parent on individual symptoms. J Abnorm Child Psychol1982; 10: 307–324.
21.
CostelloEJ, CostelloAJ, EdelbrockC, Psychiatric disorders in pediatric primary care. Arch Gen Psychiatry1988; 45: 1107–1116.
22.
BirdHR, GouldMS, StaghezzaB.Aggregating data from multiple informants in child psychiatry epidemiological research. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry1992; 31(1): 78–85.
23.
OffordDR. Child psychiatric disorders. Psychiatr Clin North Am1985; 8(4): 637–652.
24.
BoyleMH, OffordDR, HofmanHG, Ontario Child Health Study. 1. Methodology. Arch Gen Psychiatry1987; 44: 821–831.
25.
CohenP, VelezCN, KohnM, Child psychiatric diagnosis by computer algorithm: theoretical issues and empirical tests. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry1987; 26(5): 631–638.
26.
ShafferD, GouldMS, BrasicJ, A children's global assessment scale (CGAS). Arch Gen Psychiatry1983; 40: 1228–1231.
27.
MatarazzoJD. The reliability of psychiatric and psychological diagnosis. Clin Psychol Review1983; 3: 103–145.
28.
RobinsLN. Epidemiology: reflections on testing the validity of psychiatric interviews. Arch Gen Psychiatry1985; 42: 918–924.
29.
VallaJP, BergeronL, BérubéH.A pictorial instrument to assess mental health in children 6 to 12 years of age. Communication presented at the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, New York, 1990.
30.
CronbachLI. Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika1951; 16: 297–334.
