Prevalence of psychiatric disorder: with and without psychosocial impairment

To identify rates of psychiatric disorder in a representative sample of primary school children in a North of England city.

The study obtained multi-criterion screen data on a representative one-in-three sample of 7- and 8-year-old children in Newcastle upon Tyne. It also obtained psychiatric interview data for screen-positive and a proportion of screen negative children. In addition the clinically trained interviewers rated psychiatric impairment.

Estimated rates of disorder with impairment, calibrated to be equivalent to that of children attending local child psychiatric clinics, were 1.2% for emotional disorder, 5.6% for disruptive behaviour disorder and 6.7% for any disorder.

These findings are consistent with other contemporary studies using similar impairment criteria.