Epidemiology of mental disorders in children and adolescents

TLDR

Current issues in child psychiatric epidemiology include refining classification and assessment, incorporating young children into surveys, integrating child and adult psychiatry, and evaluating both mental and physical disorders. The article reviews the magnitude of mental disorders in children and adolescents based on recent community surveys worldwide. It synthesizes data from recent community surveys across the world. Approximately one fourth of youth experience a mental disorder in the past year, about one third over their lifetimes, with anxiety disorders most frequent followed by behavior, mood, and substance use disorders; fewer than half receive specialty treatment, though those with severe disorders are more likely to receive services.

Abstract

This article provides a review of the magnitude of mental disorders in children and adolescents from recent community surveys across the world. Although there is substantial variation in the results depending upon the methodological characteristics of the studies, the findings converge in demonstrating that approximately one fourth of youth experience a mental disorder during the past year, and about one third across their lifetimes. Anxiety disorders are the most frequent conditions in children, followed by behavior disorders, mood disorders, and substance use disorders. Fewer than half of youth with current mental disorders receive mental health specialty treatment. However, those with the most severe disorders tend to receive mental health services. Current issues that are now being identified in the field of child psychiatric epidemiology include: refinement of classification and assessment, inclusion of young children in epidemiologic surveys, integration of child and adult psychiatric epidemiology, and evaluation of both mental and physical disorders in children.