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Prevalence of DSM-IV disorders, comorbidity and impairment in 3-year-old Spanish preschoolers

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Abstract

Purpose

The goal is to examine the prevalence, comorbidity and impairment of DSM-IV disorders in 3-year-old children from the Spanish general population.

Method

A sample of 1,341 3-year-old preschoolers were randomly selected and screened for a double-phase design. In total, 622 families were assessed with a diagnostic semi-structured interview and functional impairment measures.

Results

Prevalence of any diagnosis was 29.9 %, the most prevalent disorders being primary insomnia (11.7 %) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) (6.9 %). There were no sex differences in the prevalence. One-third of the families had sought professional help for the child’s symptoms, and 9.4 % received treatment (4.4 % psychological and 2.1 % pharmacological). After controlling for other comorbidities, ADHD was significantly associated with ODD, CD, insomnia and social phobia; ODD was associated with CD, separation anxiety, specific phobia and major depression. Diagnostic categories were associated with impairment, family burden, seeking professional help and receiving treatment. A diagnosis was more frequent in children of low socioeconomic status, born outside Spain, from one-parent families, with younger parents and with parents of lower educational level.

Conclusions

Psychopathology, comorbidity and associated factors are very frequent from age three, suggesting a need for efforts of detection, prevention and treatment in the different societies.

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Acknowledgments

Funding was from Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation Grant PSI2009-07542. We thank the participating schools and families.

Conflict of interest

None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unitat D’Epidemiologia i de Diagnòstic en Psicopatologia del Desenvolupament, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain

    Lourdes Ezpeleta, Núria de la Osa & Josep M. Doménech

  2. Departament de Psicologia Clínica i de la Salut. Edifici B, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain

    Lourdes Ezpeleta & Núria de la Osa

  3. Departament de Psicobiologia i Metodologia de les Ciències de la Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain

    Josep M. Doménech

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  1. Lourdes Ezpeleta
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  3. Josep M. Doménech
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Correspondence to Lourdes Ezpeleta.

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Ezpeleta, L., de la Osa, N. & Doménech, J.M. Prevalence of DSM-IV disorders, comorbidity and impairment in 3-year-old Spanish preschoolers. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 49, 145–155 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-013-0683-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-013-0683-1

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