Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
07:56

Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure

Published on: September 19, 2019

What are the parent-reported reasons for unmet mental health needs in children?

LeaAnne DeRigne1

  • 1School of Social Work, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA. lderigne@fau.edu

Health & Social Work
|March 12, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Uninsured children are more likely to lack mental health care due to high costs. Public insurance can reduce this financial barrier for children with special health care needs.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Mental Health
  • Health Services Research
  • Health Economics

Background:

  • Access to mental health services is a significant challenge for children with long-term emotional or behavioral conditions.
  • Parental financial constraints and insurance status are critical factors influencing care access.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate parent-reported reasons for unmet mental health needs in children.
  • To determine the influence of insurance status (insured/uninsured) and type (private/public) on unmet mental health care needs.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs.
  • Focus on children with reported needs for mental health care or counseling in the past 12 months.
  • Examination of children with long-term emotional/behavioral problems.

Main Results:

  • Children who are uninsured are more likely to have unmet mental health needs due to cost.
  • Public health insurance is associated with a decreased likelihood of unmet needs attributed to cost.
  • Insurance type significantly impacts parental reporting of cost as a barrier.

Conclusions:

  • Expanding health insurance coverage for all children is crucial.
  • Achieving parity for mental health benefits within private insurance plans is essential.
  • Addressing financial barriers is key to improving mental health care access for children.

More Related Videos

The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients05:48

The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients

Published on: June 12, 2020

Related Concept Videos

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder01:30

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. It affects approximately 5-8% of children globally, with around 60-70% of cases persisting into adulthood. ADHD has significant implications for educational attainment, social interactions, and occupational success.
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings.
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia01:29

Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia, a complex psychiatric disorder, has been historically misunderstood. Early psychological theories attributed its origins to childhood trauma and unresponsive parenting. However, contemporary research largely rejects these notions, favoring the vulnerability-stress hypothesis. This model proposes that individuals with a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia may develop the disorder following exposure to significant environmental stressors. Notably, studies on high-risk...
Stress and Mental Health01:30

Stress and Mental Health

Chronic stress profoundly affects mental health, significantly influencing mood, behavior, and overall quality of life. Research closely links chronic stress with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Ongoing exposure to stress can lead to physiological and psychological changes, initiating a cycle of emotional distress and maladaptive coping mechanisms.
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Community Based Intervention01:30

Community Based Intervention

Community-based interventions in mental health represent a paradigm shift from institution-centered care to treatments embedded within the fabric of local communities. By prioritizing inclusion and leveraging existing societal structures, this approach fosters a supportive environment conducive to addressing mental health challenges while promoting individual dignity and agency.
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...
Nature and Nurture01:10

Nature and Nurture

Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience, such as differences...
Specialized Care Centers and Settings-I01:30

Specialized Care Centers and Settings-I

Specialized care settings or centers are situated in convenient locations within the community and offer care to a specific group or population. They consist of daycare facilities, mental health facilities, rural health facilities, educational institutions, industries, shelters for the homeless, and rehabilitation facilities.
Daycare centers
They provide several functions. Some facilities care for healthy newborns and children whose parents work, while others are medically focused and care for...