Prevalence of Behavioral and Emotional Disorders among the Orphans and Factors Associated with these Disorders

Abstract

Bangladesh is one of the densely populated countries of South East Asia with children up to the age of sixteen making up nearly half of the population. Like other least developed countries Bangladeshi children are subjected to a large diversity of conditions which may have negative effect on their physical and psychological well-being like poverty, malnutrition, poor living conditions, infectious diseases and illiteracy. There are positive factors in the cultural background, family bondage, caring parents and other members of the extended families and good relationship with siblings and cousins. Globally one in every five children and adolescent suffer from a mental disorder and two out of five who require mental health services do not receive them. It is expected that by 2020 childhood neuropsychiatric disorder will rise to over 50% and will become one of five most common reasons of morbidity, mortality and disability among children. 1 Behavioral problems can occur in children with all ages and very often they start in early life. Many risk factors have been proposed for the occurrence of mental disorders, among which social factors are clearly implicated in the

Prevalence and Determinants of Behavioral Problems Among Adolescents Living in Orphanage Facilities of District Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

“…The age group 10 to 12.9 had the highest KMUJ 2018, Vol. 10 No.2 prevalence 45.8% of behavioral problems which is similar to the study in which age group 10 to 14 years old had highest percentage of behavioral 13 problems. The majority of adolescents in orphanages were of age group 10 to 12.9 years and behavioral problem were also prevalent in this age group, as this is the time period of early adolescence which consists of developmental transition from childhood to adulthood, involving multiple physical, intellectual, personality, and social developmental changes.…”

“…The results of this study are comparable to a study from Karachi, Pakistan, conducted to determine the behavioral problems among children living in either in an SOS Village or conventional orphanages that reported 33% and 39% prevalence of behavioral problems based on the ratings of foster mothers, 26 and teachers, respectively. Similarly, a prevalence of 26.9% was reported from a similar study conducted in Bangladesh to determine the prevalence of behavioral and emotional disorders among the orphans and 13 factors associated with these disorders. Many studies have been conducted on general children and adolescents.…”

“…These children have a disproportionately high prevalence of behavioral problems and mental health irregularities like anxiety, aggression and more depression as compared to family 11,12 raised children,. These factors were causes of receiving institutional care, moves two or more times between institutions, age at first admission, death of one or both of the parents, malnutrition, higher length of stay in the facility, foster mother depression and low level of education of foster 5,13 mother. On the other hand, regular contact of the orphans with orphanage staff, classroom teachers, parents or relatives, perceived social support, appropriate task involvement and competency were protective against 14 behavioral problem.…”

Mental Health and Self-Esteem of Institutionalized Adolescents Affected by Armed Conflict

“…However, when the scores of both groups on different emotional and behavioral problems were compared, institutionalized adolescents reported having less emotional and behavioral problems than regular school adolescents. Additionally, no significant difference in self-esteem score between the two (Pilowsky 1995;Rahman et al 2012;Simsek et al 2008;Stein 1994). It is difficult to explain these findings from the current study, when the existing literature highlights risk of institutionalization and we could not take into account other psychosocial factors.…”

Prevalence of traumatic events and risk for psychological symptoms among community and at‐risk children and adolescents from Bangladesh

“…Although there are no well‐established social services in the country (Pathan & d'Ardenne, ), there are many residential (shelter homes) and nonresidential support services for disconnected and destitute children. Children associated with these support services show higher levels of problem behaviours than the general population (Parveen & Begum, ; Rahman et al., ).…”