Perception of Parents to Childhood Psychiatric Disorders in Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Many community and hospital based studies have found high prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in the community and hospital. However, it has been noticed that few children are presented to hospital by parents with complaints related to psychological or emotional disturbances. Aim: This study set out and identified perception of parents in a paediatric out-patient setting as to what they considered to be symptoms suggestive of psychiatric disorders in children and what they considered to be contributory factors to the causation of these disorders. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out where parents’ were interviewed and the sociodemographic features of the child, parents and family were elicited. The child was assessed for psychological disorder with the Reporting Questionnaire for children. Result: Majority (90%) of the parents had poor perception about childhood psychiatric disorders. Most of the symptoms parents identified as being suggestive of disorders were those of overt, externalizing abnormal behaviours. Inheritance, head injury, epilepsy, and lack of consistent discipline were the factors identified by parents as being contributory to the development of psychiatric disorders in children. Conclusion: Most parents had poor perception. The study advocated health education and enlightenment programmes to enhance mental health literacy for parents so that they could identify and present their children for assessment of symptoms which appear to be those of a psychological nature.