National Survey Tracks Rates of Common Mental Disorders Among American Youth

December 14, 2009 | by

Only about half of American children and teenagers who have certain mental disorders receive professional services, according to a nationally representative survey funded in part by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The survey also provides a comprehensive look at the prevalence of common mental disorders.

The results are part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a collaboration between NIMH and the National Center for Health Statistics of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The survey conducted from 2001 to 2004 had 3,042 participants. These most recent results include data from children and adolescents ages 8 to 15, and were published online ahead of print December 14, 2009, in the journal Pediatrics [1].

Second-hand Smoke Exposure Linked to Psychological Problems in Children

June 29, 2007 | by

The first evidence linking mothers’ second-hand smoke exposure while pregnant to their child’s attention deficit disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorder has been published in the current issue of Child Psychiatry and Human Development. ADHD and conduct disorder behaviors are called externalizing psychopathology with symtoms that include aggressive behavior, ADHD, defiance and conduct disorder.