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Mental Health Problems Among Preschoolers in Germany: Results of the BELLA Preschool Study

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Abstract

In a cross-sectional study, the prevalence rates of overall and specific mental health problems (MHP), as well as consequential impairments, were examined in a representative community sample of German preschoolers. MHP in 391 children were assessed by applying the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire, as well as its impact supplement. Furthermore, the child behaviour checklist 1½–5 (CBCL 1½–5) and the IOWA-Conners behaviour rating scale were applied. Prevalence rates of MHP with 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI) were determined. Odds ratios were calculated to analyse the relationships between MHP, age, gender, socioeconomic status, and geographical region using logistic regression. Overall, 7.4 % of the children showed symptoms of MHP. 12.9 % of the children were considered to be impaired by psychosocial problems. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were present in 4.2 % of the children; 11.8 % showed hyperactivity symptoms. The observed prevalence rates call for early mental health prevention in preschoolers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Psychology, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52 (W26), 20246, Hamburg, Germany

    Olga Wlodarczyk, Silke Pawils, Franka Metzner, Levente Kriston & Carolin Wendt

  2. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany

    Fionna Klasen & Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer

Authors
  1. Olga Wlodarczyk
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  2. Silke Pawils
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  3. Franka Metzner
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  4. Levente Kriston
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  5. Carolin Wendt
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  6. Fionna Klasen
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  7. Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer
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The BELLA Study Group

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Correspondence to Olga Wlodarczyk.

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Conflict of interest

None of the authors declared conflicts of interest.

Ethical Statement

This study has been approved by the appropriate ethics committee of Medical Faculty of the Charité Berlin and has been performed in accordance with the ethical standards of the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments (see page 4).

Additional information

Olga Wlodarczyk and Silke Pawils are joint first authors.

The BELLA Study Group: Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer, Claus Barkmann, Susann Bettge, Monika Bullinger, Manfred Döpfner, Michael Erhart, Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann, Heike Hölling, Franz Resch, Aribert Rothenberger, Michael Schulte-Markwort, Nora Wille, Hans-Ulrich Wittchen.

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Wlodarczyk, O., Pawils, S., Metzner, F. et al. Mental Health Problems Among Preschoolers in Germany: Results of the BELLA Preschool Study. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 47, 529–538 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-015-0586-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-015-0586-3

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