TY - JOUR
T1 - Our children then and now: Changes in mental health symptoms among Singaporean children from 2003 to 2017
AU - Lee, Crystal Yun See
AU - Goh, Tze Jui
AU - Meaney, Michael J.
AU - Cai, Shirong
AU - Tan, Kok-Hian
AU - Shek, Lynette Pei-Chi
AU - Chong, Yap-Seng
AU - Broekman, Birit
AU - Fung, Daniel Shuen Sheng
N1 - Funding Information: The datasets used in this publication arise from research supported by the Singapore National Research Foundation under its Translational and Clinical Research (TCR) Flagship Programme and administered by the Singapore Ministry of Health's National Medical Research Council (NMRC), Singapore (NMRC Individual grant 0745/2003, NMRC/TCR/004-NUS/2008, NMRC/TCR/012-NUHS/2014). Funding was also provided by the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore. Funding Information: The datasets used in this publication arise from research supported by the Singapore National Research Foundation under its Translational and Clinical Research (TCR) Flagship Programme and administered by the Singapore Ministry of Health’s National Medical Research Council (NMRC), Singapore ( NMRC Individual grant 0745/2003 , NMRC/TCR/004-NUS/2008 , NMRC/TCR/012-NUHS/2014 ). Funding was also provided by the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore . Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Elsevier B.V. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/9/1
Y1 - 2021/9/1
N2 - In recent years, there appears to be a rise in the diagnosis and treatment of child mental health disorders in many countries, including Singapore. While this increase may be alarming, it could possibly be attributed to factors such as changes in diagnostic criteria, improved screening in schools and primary health settings, changes in clinical practices, and an increase in help-seeking behaviour. Hence, an examination of community-level trends in mental health symptoms can elucidate how child psychopathology has changed over the years. This study aimed to investigate differences in symptoms of mental health between two cohorts of young Asian children aged six to eight living in Singapore. Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) scores from a sample in 2003 (Cohort 1; n = 524) were compared to another sample taken in 2017 (Cohort 2; n = 655). Cohort 2 had lower externalizing scale scores as compared to Cohort 1, but there were no significant differences in total problem scores or internalizing scale scores. Among the CBCL subscales, Cohort 2 had comparatively lower levels of aggressive behaviour and withdrawn/depressed symptoms, but higher levels of thought problems and somatic complaints as compared to Cohort 1. Our findings suggest that children in Singapore are progressing as well as, or even better than, children 14 years ago on most aspects of mental well-being.
AB - In recent years, there appears to be a rise in the diagnosis and treatment of child mental health disorders in many countries, including Singapore. While this increase may be alarming, it could possibly be attributed to factors such as changes in diagnostic criteria, improved screening in schools and primary health settings, changes in clinical practices, and an increase in help-seeking behaviour. Hence, an examination of community-level trends in mental health symptoms can elucidate how child psychopathology has changed over the years. This study aimed to investigate differences in symptoms of mental health between two cohorts of young Asian children aged six to eight living in Singapore. Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) scores from a sample in 2003 (Cohort 1; n = 524) were compared to another sample taken in 2017 (Cohort 2; n = 655). Cohort 2 had lower externalizing scale scores as compared to Cohort 1, but there were no significant differences in total problem scores or internalizing scale scores. Among the CBCL subscales, Cohort 2 had comparatively lower levels of aggressive behaviour and withdrawn/depressed symptoms, but higher levels of thought problems and somatic complaints as compared to Cohort 1. Our findings suggest that children in Singapore are progressing as well as, or even better than, children 14 years ago on most aspects of mental well-being.
KW - Child
KW - Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL)
KW - Mental health
KW - Singapore
KW - Trends
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85110629036&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2021.102773
DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2021.102773
M3 - Article
C2 - 34298431
SN - 1876-2018
VL - 63
JO - ASIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY
JF - ASIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY
M1 - 102773
ER -