INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of behavioral disorders among 3-year-old children in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Although this type of study exists in the industrialized countries, very few studies have been undertaken in the developing countries. METHOD: Six hundred ninety-four randomly selected 3-year-old UAE nationals were screened using the Child Behaviour Checklist for Ages 2-3. RESULTS: Of the children in the study, 10.5% had scores in the clinical range. By using clinical interviews in stage 2 of high-scoring children and random samples of children with normal scores, the weighted prevalence for a clinically significant disorder in behavior was estimated to be 9.94%. A number of putative risk factors were identified, including perinatal factors, adverse family factors, and a positive family history of mental health problems. DISCUSSION: The prevalence of disordered behavior in this Arab culture and its risk factors are similar to those in developed countries. However, certain unique sociocultural determinants were also identified that have implications for the early detection of disordered behavior and care of children with disordered behavior.
INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of behavioral disorders among 3-year-old children in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Although this type of study exists in the industrialized countries, very few studies have been undertaken in the developing countries. METHOD: Six hundred ninety-four randomly selected 3-year-old UAE nationals were screened using the Child Behaviour Checklist for Ages 2-3. RESULTS: Of the children in the study, 10.5% had scores in the clinical range. By using clinical interviews in stage 2 of high-scoring children and random samples of children with normal scores, the weighted prevalence for a clinically significant disorder in behavior was estimated to be 9.94%. A number of putative risk factors were identified, including perinatal factors, adverse family factors, and a positive family history of mental health problems. DISCUSSION: The prevalence of disordered behavior in this Arab culture and its risk factors are similar to those in developed countries. However, certain unique sociocultural determinants were also identified that have implications for the early detection of disordered behavior and care of children with disordered behavior.
Authors: Leslie A Rescorla; Thomas M Achenbach; Masha Y Ivanova; Valerie S Harder; Laura Otten; Niels Bilenberg; Gudrun Bjarnadottir; Christiane Capron; Sarah S W De Pauw; Pedro Dias; Anca Dobrean; Manfred Döpfner; Michel Duyme; Valsamma Eapen; Nese Erol; Elaheh Mohammad Esmaeili; Lourdes Ezpeleta; Alessandra Frigerio; Daniel S S Fung; Miguel Gonçalves; Halldór Guðmundsson; Suh-Fang Jeng; Roma Jusiené; Young Ah Kim; Solvejg Kristensen; Jianghong Liu; Felipe Lecannelier; Patrick W L Leung; Bárbara César Machado; Rosario Montirosso; Kyung Ja Oh; Yoon Phaik Ooi; Julia Plück; Rolando Pomalima; Jetishi Pranvera; Klaus Schmeck; Mimoza Shahini; Jaime R Silva; Zeynep Simsek; Andre Sourander; José Valverde; Jan van der Ende; Karla G Van Leeuwen; Yen-Tzu Wu; Sema Yurdusen; Stephen R Zubrick; Frank C Verhulst Journal: J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol Date: 2011