TY - JOUR
T1 - Risk factors for child mental health problems in Lithuania
T2 - The role of parental nationality
AU - Kovess Masfety, Viviane
AU - Lesinskiene, Sigita
AU - Husky, Mathilde M.
AU - Boyd, Anders
AU - Ha, Phuong
AU - Fermanian, Christophe
AU - Pez, Ondine
N1 - Funding Information: This study was funded by the European Union, grant number 2006336. Publisher Copyright: © 2016 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2017/2/1
Y1 - 2017/2/1
N2 - Background We compare the mental health status of children who reside in Lithuania with parents who are either Lithuanian nationals or non-Lithuanian nationals. Method Data were drawn from the School Child Mental Health Europe survey (SCMHE), a cross-sectional survey of school children aged 6–11 years. A total of 1152 Lithuanian children participated, among them 11.7% from a non-Lithuanian family. Child mental health was assessed using the Dominique Interactive (DI) and the parent- and teacher Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Parental attitudes were evaluated, and socio-demographics were collected. Results Overall 26.7% of non-Lithuanian versus 17.2% of Lithuanian children reported having an internalizing disorder (p = 0.01) mainly due to separation anxiety (16.4% versus 10.2%, p = 0.04). Odds ratio (OR) for child-reported internalizing disorders was 1.86 (95% CI = 1.17–2.96) once adjusted for other factors including being a girl, to be younger, parental unemployment and low caring and low autonomy parental attitudes which were associated with greater odds of internalizing disorders. In addition, 31.9% of non-Lithuanian reported suicidal thoughts versus 22.0% of Lithuanian children p = .02); OR = 1.60 (95% CI = 1.04–2.46) once adjusted for single parent, parental unemployment, parental alcohol problems and overreactivity attitude. Conclusions Being a non-national minority in Lithuania is a risk factor for child mental health. These findings suggest that further studies are needed to inform local policy-makers on targeted prevention and intervention programs in these children.
AB - Background We compare the mental health status of children who reside in Lithuania with parents who are either Lithuanian nationals or non-Lithuanian nationals. Method Data were drawn from the School Child Mental Health Europe survey (SCMHE), a cross-sectional survey of school children aged 6–11 years. A total of 1152 Lithuanian children participated, among them 11.7% from a non-Lithuanian family. Child mental health was assessed using the Dominique Interactive (DI) and the parent- and teacher Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Parental attitudes were evaluated, and socio-demographics were collected. Results Overall 26.7% of non-Lithuanian versus 17.2% of Lithuanian children reported having an internalizing disorder (p = 0.01) mainly due to separation anxiety (16.4% versus 10.2%, p = 0.04). Odds ratio (OR) for child-reported internalizing disorders was 1.86 (95% CI = 1.17–2.96) once adjusted for other factors including being a girl, to be younger, parental unemployment and low caring and low autonomy parental attitudes which were associated with greater odds of internalizing disorders. In addition, 31.9% of non-Lithuanian reported suicidal thoughts versus 22.0% of Lithuanian children p = .02); OR = 1.60 (95% CI = 1.04–2.46) once adjusted for single parent, parental unemployment, parental alcohol problems and overreactivity attitude. Conclusions Being a non-national minority in Lithuania is a risk factor for child mental health. These findings suggest that further studies are needed to inform local policy-makers on targeted prevention and intervention programs in these children.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84995663120&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2016.10.010
DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2016.10.010
M3 - Article
C2 - 27852002
SN - 0010-440X
VL - 73
SP - 15
EP - 22
JO - Comprehensive Psychiatry
JF - Comprehensive Psychiatry
ER -