Influence of psychosocial risk factors on the trajectory of mental health problems from childhood to adolescence: a longitudinal study

• Autor(a) principal: Fatori, Daniel
• Data de Publicação: 2013
• Outros Autores: Bordin, Isabel Altenfelder Santos [UNIFESP], Curto, Bartira Marques [UNIFESP], Paula, Cristiane Silvestre de [UNIFESP]
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNIFESP
• Texto Completo: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-13-31; http://repositorio.unifesp.br/handle/11600/35884
• topic: Child; Adolescent; Violence; Epidemiology; Longitudinal studies; Psychopathology; Risk factors; Mental health; Developing countries

Background: Longitudinal epidemiological studies involving child/adolescent mental health problems are scarce in developing countries, particularly in regions characterized by adverse living conditions. We examined the influence of psychosocial factors on the trajectory of child/adolescent mental health problems (CAMHP) over time.Methods: A population-based sample of 6- to 13-year-olds with CAMHP was followed-up from 2002-2003 (Time 1/T1) to 2007-2008 (Time 2/T2), with 86 out of 124 eligible children/adolescents at T1 being reassessed at T2 (sample loss: 30.6%). Outcome: CAMHP at T2 according to the Child Behavior Checklist/CBCL's total problem scale. Psychosocial factors: T1 variables (child/adolescent's age, family socioeconomic status); trajectory of variables from T1 to T2 (child/adolescent exposure to severe physical punishment, mother exposure to severe physical marital violence, maternal anxiety/depression); and T2 variables (maternal education, child/adolescent's social support and pro-social activities).Results: Multivariate analysis identified two risk factors for child/adolescent MHP at T2: aggravation of child/adolescent physical punishment and aggravation of maternal anxiety/depression.Conclusions: the current study shows the importance of considering child/adolescent physical punishment and maternal anxiety/depression in intervention models and mental health care policies.