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Objective: To investigate prevalence and patterns of psychiatric disorders in referred preschool children.
Method: Preschool children consecutively referred to a state hospital child psychiatry clinic in Trabzon, Turkey were included. Subjects were assessed for reasons for referral, and prevalence and patterns of psychiatric disorders. Diagnostic assessment was conducted using a semi-structured instrument, Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL), and included major psychiatric disorders that could be relevant to preschool children; externalizing, developmental, anxiety, elimination, mood and tic disorders.
Results: 200 preschool children (122 male, 61%; 78 female, 39%) with an age range of 17-72 months (48.52±13.44 months) were included. K-SADS-PL was administered to subjects who were above 36 months of age. More than half of the subjects (n=130; 65%) received at least one psychiatric diagnosis. Of the children 34% (68/200) met criteria for two or more diagnoses. Of males 71 percent (87/122), and of girls 55 percent (43/78) received at least one diagnosis. Most frequent diagnoses were attention deficit hyperactivity (27%), language and speech (17%), anxiety (16%), and oppositional defiant disorders (10.5%). There were significant differences between boys and girls in regards to rates of overall psychopathology (p=0,0309) and rates of comorbidity (p=0,0022).
Conclusions: Preschool children presented to psychiatry clinics may have high rates of psychopathology and comorbidity. Externalizing disorders may be most common reason for referral and diagnoses in referred preschool children. Preschool boys may exhibit more frequent psychopathology and comorbidity than girls.