ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To provide the first empirical analysis of a cultural syndrome in children by examining the prevalence and psychiatric correlates of ataques de nervios in an epidemiological study of the mental health of children in Puerto Rico. METHOD: Probability samples of caretakers of children 4-17 years old in the community (N = 1,892; response rate: 90%) and in clinical services (N = 761; response rate 72%) were administered structured interviews to assess the presence and correlates of ataques de nervios. RESULTS: Nine percent of children in the community sample and 26% of children in the clinical sample had a reported history of an ataque de nervios. In contrast to the overall community and clinical samples, which had more boys in them, the ataque de nervios groups in both samples had more girls in them. Family history of ataques de nervios was associated with ataques de nervios in children in both samples. Across a wide range of depression, anxiety, and disruptive disorders, children who reported an ataque de nervios were more likely to meet research criteria for psychiatric disorder in both samples. CONCLUSIONS: Ataques de nervios are a frequently reported cultural syndrome among children in Puerto Rico. Adolescent girls are more likely to report this experience. Ataques de nervios have a significant relationship with psychiatric disorder and impairment in Puerto Rican children.
Subject(s)
Child Reactive Disorders/ethnology , Cultural Diversity , Hispanic or Latino/psychology , Life Change Events , Mental Disorders/ethnology , Neurotic Disorders/ethnology , Adolescent , Child , Child Reactive Disorders/diagnosis , Child Reactive Disorders/epidemiology , Child, Preschool , Comorbidity , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Mental Disorders/diagnosis , Mental Disorders/epidemiology , Neurotic Disorders/diagnosis , Neurotic Disorders/epidemiology , Puerto Rico , Risk Assessment , Statistics as Topic , SyndromeABSTRACT
O presente trabalho estuda 100 casos de consultoria em psiquiatria infantil no HSL-PUCRS, avaliando, além de variáveis sócio-demográficas, diagnósticos clínicos mais prevalentes nos casos em que foi solicitada consultoria e participação predominante das especialidades médicas...
Subject(s)
Humans , Child , Child, Hospitalized/psychology , Child Psychiatry , Referral and Consultation/statistics & numerical data , Child Reactive Disorders/diagnosis , Child Reactive Disorders/therapyABSTRACT
A Swedish study of 50 newly resettled refugee children from Chile describes the children's experiences of persecution in their home country and coping patterns in the receiving country. Thirty-six children had experiences directly related to persecution, and seven of these had been victims of physical assault for political reasons. Sleep disturbances and dependency were behaviors significantly associated with experiences of persecution. Resettled refugee families need to be approached by concerned professionals as symptoms of trauma in refugee children are often recognized only in the family sphere.