1. Persistence and course of mental health problems from childhood into adolescence: results of a 10-year longitudinal study
- Author
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Max Supke, Wolfgang H. Schulz, Caterina Ferling, and Kurt Hahlweg
- Subjects
Mental Health Problems ,Persistence (psychology) ,Longitudinal study ,Adolescent ,lcsh:BF1-990 ,Anxiety ,Logistic regression ,Adolescents ,Article ,Persistence ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,ddc:1 ,Germany ,Prevalence ,Mental health problems ,Humans ,Veröffentlichung der TU Braunschweig ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,Longitudinal Studies ,Child ,Children ,General Psychology ,Psychological research ,Mentally ill ,Mental Disorders ,05 social sciences ,General Medicine ,Mental health ,lcsh:Psychology ,Mental Health ,ddc:15 ,Child, Preschool ,Longitudinal ,Female ,Publikationsfonds der TU Braunschweig ,Course ,Psychology ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery ,050104 developmental & child psychology ,Demography ,Research Article - Abstract
Background Mental health problems (MHP) in children and adolescents (CA) are common. This longitudinal study analyzed the prevalence, course, and persistence of MHP over 10 years from childhood into adolescence based on a sample from the Future Family project (N = 230). Methods At the pre-assessment point the children were on average 5 (SE = 1) and the mothers 35 (SE = 5) years old. Descriptive methods, Chi2-tests, binary logistic regression, and different analytical approaches (number chains, transition probability) were used. Results Approximately 24% of the CA suffered from borderline clinical or clinically relevant MHP. The largest proportion of the sample was stable healthy (70%), whereas 15% of the CA showed chronic mentally ill, 8% transient, 4% negative and 4% positive courses. The mental health of the mother proved to be a decisive predictor for chronic mentally ill courses. Short-term persistence rates ranged between 60 and 70% from one assessment point to the next one. On the other hand, long-term persistence rates (from childhood into adolescence) were lower (51–59%). Conclusion One in seven children in this sample suffered from chronic MHP, while only one third of the CA in Germany with clinically relevant MHP take advantage of psychological or psychiatric care. Prevention programs should be considered as an effective and economic approach to reduce childhood suffering in Germany.
- Published
- 2020