Journal Article

Prevalence and correlates of mental disorders among adolescents in Italy: the PrISMA study

Mani, Elisa, Morosini, Pierluigi, Cavolina, Pina, Nardocci, Franco, Pastore, Valentina, Ammaniti, Massimo, Vanzin, Laura, Tullini, Andrea, Molteni, Massimo, Rucci, Paola, Carlet, Ombretta, De Girolamo, Giovanni, Goodman, Robert, Zuddas, Alessandro, Micali, Nadia, Lenti, Carlo, Polidori, Gabriella, Frigerio, Alessandra, Muratori, Filippo, Milone, Annarita, Lucarelli, Loredana, Walder, Mauro, Martinuzzi, Andrea, Villa, Laura

2009

Overview

Background While in the last 5 years several studies have been conducted in Italy on the prevalence of mental disorders in adults, to date no epidemiological study has been targeted on mental disorders in adolescents. Method A two-phase study was conducted on 3,418 participants using the child behavior checklist/6–18 (CBCL) and the development and well-being assessment (DAWBA), a structured interview with verbatim reports reviewed by clinicians. Results The prevalence of CBCL caseness and DSM-IV disorders was 9.8% (CI 8.8–10.8%) and 8.2% (CI 4.2–12.3%), respectively. DSM-IV Emotional disorders were more frequently observed (6.5% CI 2.2–10.8%) than externalizing disorders (1.2% CI 0.2–2.3%). In girls, prevalence estimates increased significantly with age; furthermore, living with a single parent, low level of maternal education, and low family income were associated with a higher likelihood of suffering from emotional or behavioral problems. Conclusions Approximately one in ten adolescents has psychological problems. Teachers and clinicians should focus on boys and girls living with a single parent and/or in disadvantaged socioeconomic conditions.

• Publisher: Steinkopff-Verlag,Springer,Springer Nature B.V,Springer Verlag (Germany)
• Subject: Adolescent / Adolescents / Adult and adolescent clinical studies / Adults / Age differences / Behavior / Behavior problems / Biological and medical sciences / Boys / Child / Child & adolescent psychiatry / Child and Adolescent Psychiatry / Child Behavior Checklist / Child development / Children / Children & youth / Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders / Disadvantaged / Disorders / Educational attainment / Emotional disorders / Emotions / Epidemiology / Estimates / Externalizing problems / Family income / Female / Girls / Humans / Italy / Italy - epidemiology / Low income groups / Male / Medical sciences / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Mental disorders / Mental Disorders - diagnosis / Mental Disorders - epidemiology / Mental Disorders - psychology / Mental health / Miscellaneous / Original Contribution / Parents & parenting / Prevalence / Psychiatric disorders / Psychiatry / Psychological problems / Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry / Psychopathology / Psychopathology. Psychiatry / Schools / Severity of Illness Index / Single parents / Socioeconomic factors / Surveys and Questionnaires / Teachers / Teenagers / Urban areas / Well being