Prevalence and Correlates of Mental Disorders in Children Aged 9 and 10 Years: Results From the ABCD Study

To estimate the prevalence of current DSM-5 disorders in children 9 to 10 years of age and their associations with sociodemographic and physical characteristics.

In this analysis of Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) first wave study data, current child mental disorders were based on the computerized parent version of Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children (K-SADS) for DSM-5 (N = 11,874) supplemented with the child version of K-SADS for mood and selected anxiety disorders and with teacher Brief Problem Monitor ratings for the attention and externalizing scales. Child sociodemographic (race/ethnicity, nativity, parental marital status, parental education, family income) and physical (sex, pubertal stage, weight status, maternal age) characteristics were derived from parent report and anthropometric measurement. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI assessed associations with child mental disorders.

The prevalence of any current mental disorder was 10.11%, including 11.48% among boys and 8.68% among girls. After controlling for several sociodemographic and physical characteristics, boys (OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.17-1.99), children from families with incomes below $25,000 (OR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.31-3.22) and families with incomes of $25,000 to $49,000 (OR = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.20-3.00) (reference: $75,000), and obese children (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.16-1.81) (reference: healthy weight) were at increased risk for any current child mental disorder. Children from the lowest family income group were at particularly high risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (OR = 3.86, 95% CI = 1.69-8.79) and disruptive behavior disorders (OR = 4.13, 95% CI = 1.86-9.15).

These patterns underscore the importance of strengthening service planning, preventive interventions, and etiological research focused on children from low-income families.

We worked to ensure sex and gender balance in the recruitment of human participants. One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as a member of one or more historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science. One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as a member of one or more historically underrepresented sexual and/or gender groups in science. We actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our author group. The author list of this paper includes contributors from the location and/or community where the research was conducted who participated in the data collection, design, analysis, and/or interpretation of the work.