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Prevalence of psychopathology in preschool-age children
Mary Ann McDonnell1, Carol Glod
1Pediatric Psychopharmacology Research, Massachussetts General Hospital, Boston, USA. mjohnson20@partners.org
Problem:
Little is known about psychopathology in preschool-age children.
Methods:
A review of representative studies of psychiatric disorders in preschoolers.
Findings:
Sample sizes ranged from 104 to 3,860 subjects, ages 1 to 9 years. Prevalence rates of psychiatric disorders varied from 0.1% to 26.4%; high rates of co-morbidity were reported.
Conclusions:
Studies addressing psychiatric disorders in preschoolers are extremely limited. Future research is needed to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes in preschool-age children.
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