Prevalence and Correlates of Psychiatric Disorders in a National Survey of Iranian Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Objective: Considering the impact of rapid sociocultural, political, and economical changes on societies and families, population-based surveys of mental disorders in different communities are needed to describe the magnitude of mental health problems and their disabling effects at the individual, familial, and societal levels.
 Method: A population-based cross sectional survey (IRCAP project) of 30 532 children and adolescents between 6 and 18 years was conducted in all provinces of Iran using a multistage cluster sampling method. Data were collected by 250 clinical psychologists trained to use the validated Persian version of the semi-structured diagnostic interview Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-PL (K-SADS-PL).
 Results: In this national epidemiological survey, 6209 out of 30 532 (22.31%) were diagnosed with at least one psychiatric disorder. The anxiety disorders (14.13%) and behavioral disorders (8.3%) had the highest prevalence, while eating disorders (0.13%) and psychotic symptoms (0.26%) had the lowest. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was significantly lower in girls (OR = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.80-0.90), in those living in the rural area (OR = 0.80; 95% CI: 0.73-0.87), in those aged 15-18 years (OR = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.86-0.99), as well as that was significantly higher in those who had a parent suffering from mental disorders (OR = 1.96; 95% CI: 1.63-2.36 for mother and OR = 1.33; 95% CI: 1.07-1.66 for father) or physical illness (OR = 1.26; 95% CI: 1.17-1.35 for mother and OR = 1.19; 95% CI: 1.10-1.28 for father).
 Conclusion: About one fifth of Iranian children and adolescents suffer from at least one psychiatric disorder. Therefore, we should give a greater priority to promoting mental health and public health, provide more accessible services and trainings, and reduce barriers to accessing existing services.

Prevalence, correlates and comorbidities of feeding and eating disorders in a nationally representative sample of Iranian children and adolescents

“…The current article is an update to the partially report of DSM‐IV psychiatric disorders including just anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa from IRCAP survey (Mohammad Reza Mohammadi et al, ). Classifications and diagnostic criteria for feeding and eating disorders in DSM‐5 are changed.…”

“…This way, bout 1,000 participants were randomly selected from each province. The full study design and methodology including sampling is described in the protocol article (Mohammadi, Ahmadi, Kamali, Khaleghi, & Ahmadi, ; Mohammadi et al, ).…”

Improving Parent Emotion Socialization Practices: Piloting Tuning in to Kids in Iran for Children With Disruptive Behavior Problems

“…Research has shown that such parent training programs improve the parenting practices of Iranian parents, especially increasing firm-control parenting, which includes strategies for limit-setting to set boundaries and rules in families (Haji Seyedrazi, Azkhosh, Tahmasian, Bayat, & Biglarian, 2012), resulting in reductions in children's behavior problems (Farzadfard & Hooman, 2007;Zare & Ahmadi, 2009). Given the small number of evaluations of parent interventions in Iran and evidence that behavior problems occur in approximately 23% of preschool children in Iran (Mohammadi et al, 2019), we wished to explore whether an emotion socialization parenting program would also be effective. The current pilot study was designed to test the efficacy of the TIK program in Iran, and specifically to assess whether a focus on emotion socialization in parenting would affect children's emotion competence and behavior.…”

“…Disruptive behaviors, characterized by negative emotion, aggression, oppositionality, and hyperactivity, often occur in the preschool years, especially among boys, affecting up to 23% of Iranian children (Mohammadi, Vaisi Raiegani, Jalali, Ghobadi, & Abbasi, 2019). The development of behavior problems in children is associated with poorer emotional competence (Morris, Silk, Steinberg, Terranova, & Kithakye, 2010), specifically difficulties with understanding and regulating emotions.…”

Anxiety related disorders in adolescents in the United Arab Emirates: a population based cross-sectional study

“…Current diagnostic frameworks identify several anxiety disorders that commonly occur during childhood and adolescence, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and signi cant school refusal/avoidance disorder [11][12][13]. Although there are differing perspectives on the etiology of anxiety in childhood, multiple factors (e.g., the child's temperament and characteristics, genetic factors, environmental factors) are thought to contribute to the development of anxiety disorders among children and adolescents [14].…”