Behavioural and emotional profile of children in residential care in Greece.

Previous research has shown the harmful effects that out of home care can have on children. Specifically, institutionalized children experience high rates of developmental and psychological problems, and therefore special attention is needed so that a fast intervention can be achieved and further complications can be prevented. This paper focuses on building the psychological and behavioural profile of children living in four residential care units in western Greece, in respect to gender, age and nationality. 153 children (88 children in residential care and 65 children rearing in their families) participated in the study. The children age ranged from 6 to 18 years. Children's behavioural profile was assessed through Child Βehaviour Checklist 6-18 (CBCL 6-18) and was afterwards analyzed with respect to variables such as age, gender and nationality. Children in residential care had higher rates of clinical/borderline range symptoms in Internalizing, Externalizing and Total Problems scale than their counterparts rearing at home. Specifically, they were more withdrawn/ depressed and tended to indicate more rule-breaking behaviour. Both genders showed vulnerability in Internalizing behaviour scale, but girls presented higher rates than boys in the clinical range in Externalizing behaviour scale (22% vs 12%) and Total Problems scale (24% vs 5%). Finally, adolescents in residential care exhibit more internalizing symptoms in clinical range than younger children (22% vs 0%), whereas children of Greek nationality were more vulnerable than children of other nationalities, especially in externalizing behavioural symptoms (28% vs 6%). Our study suggests that children in residential care are at high risk for developing mental health issues. The finding that children are more withdrawn and depressed underlines the possible difficulties in establishing confident relations with peers and adults and can destruct their orientation towards social reality, exhibit mistrust to other people and cause insecurity for their future. There is a lack of longitudinal studies investigating children who have lived in institutions in Greece. Such studies would possibly reveal protective or aggravating parameters that have a positive or negative impact on the development of those children and the transition to adult life.

Compulsory admissions: Possibly another dark side of the Greek economic crisis.

Α number of previous articles have dealt with the negative impact of the Greek Economic crisis on public health, including significant increases in major depression prevalence and suicide and homicide rates. The mentally ill seem to represent a vulnerable social group, with particular difficulties in this context. The number of compulsory assessments and involuntary admissions was recorded by reviewing patient records in the Department of Psychiatry of the University Hospital of Patras, through years 2006-2013. Compulsory assessments increased from 176 in 2006 to 262 in 2009 and 354 in 2013, representing a 48.86% and 101.13% increase in the first and the fifth year of economic crisis, respectively. The assessments resulted in 160 involuntary admissions in 2006, which escalated to 262 admissions (63.75% rise) in 2013. Even though a rise in involuntary placements could be attributed to other factors as well, it may also partly represent a not so evident side of the Greek economic crisis.