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U.S. children with emotional and behavioral difficulties: data from the 2001, 2002, and 2003 National Health
Gloria A Simpson1, Barbara Bloom, Robin A Cohen
1National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Maryland 20782, USA.
Insights
Approximately 5% of U.S. children (ages 4-17) experience emotional or behavioral difficulties, impacting their daily lives. These challenges affect functioning in about 80% of affected children, influencing family, friendships, and learning.
Area of Science:
- Child psychology
- Public health surveillance
- Epidemiology of child mental health
Background:
- Emotional and behavioral difficulties in children are a significant public health concern.
- Understanding the prevalence and impact of these difficulties is crucial for early intervention and support.
- The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) provides valuable data on child health indicators.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the prevalence of emotional, concentration, behavioral, and social difficulties in U.S. children aged 4-17 years.
- To examine the impact of these difficulties on children's overall functioning and daily life.
- To identify demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with these childhood difficulties.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 2001, 2002, and 2003 National Health Interview Surveys (NHIS).
- Employed computer-assisted personal interviews (CAPI) for data collection from a representative U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population.
- Applied the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to assess emotional and behavioral challenges in children.
Main Results:
- Approximately 5% of U.S. children aged 4-17 years exhibited emotional or behavioral difficulties across the surveyed years.
- For the majority (around 80%) of children with these difficulties, there was a notable impact on their functioning.
- Difficulties varied significantly based on sex, age, race, family structure, poverty status, and health insurance status.
Conclusions:
- A substantial proportion of U.S. children experience emotional or behavioral difficulties that significantly impair their functioning.
- These challenges have a profound impact on children's family life, social interactions, academic performance, and leisure activities.
- The findings underscore the need for targeted support and interventions for children facing emotional and behavioral challenges.
Objective:
This report presents selected prevalence estimates for children ages 4-17 years with difficulties in emotions, concentration, behavior, or being able to get along with others using data from the 2001, 2002, and 2003 National Health Interview Surveys (NHIS).
Methods:
Data for the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population were collected using computer-assisted personal interviews (CAPI). In 2001, a total of 10,367 interviews were completed about sample children ages 4-17 years by the member of the household most knowledgeable about the child's health. The number of completed interviews about sample children ages 4-17 years was 9,512 in 2002 and 9,399 in 2003. Questions on children's emotional and behavioral difficulties from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) were first asked in the NHIS in 2001. SUDAAN software was used to tabulate statistics shown in this report.
Results:
In 2001, 2002, and 2003, approximately 5% of U.S. children ages 4-17 years had emotional or behavioral difficulties, and for approximately 80% of these children, there was an impact on their functioning. Children with difficulties in emotions, concentration, behavior, or being able to get along with others varied by sex, age, race, family structure, poverty status, and health insurance status. About 50% of these children were upset or distressed by their emotional or behavioral difficulties, and about 80% had difficulties that impacted their family life, friendships, learning, or leisure activities.
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