Mental Health Problems of Deaf Children and Adolescents

Author(s):  
Tiejo van Gent ◽  
Ines Sleeboom-van Raaij
2010 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 351-357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria D. Remine ◽  
P. Margaret Brown

Objective: The aims of the present study were to (i) identify the prevalence rate and nature of mental health problems in a group of Australian deaf children and adolescents and compare these to those reported for the Australian hearing population; and (ii) identify specific demographic characteristics that may typify deaf children and adolescents with mental health problems. Method: Sixty-six parents of deaf children and adolescents aged 6–18 years, their teachers and 38 adolescents participated in the study. Data related to mental health problems were collected using the Child Behaviour Checklist and Youth Self-Report. Data related to demographic characteristics were obtained via parent and teacher surveys. Results: The overall prevalence rate of mental health problems reported by parents and adolescents in the present study is comparable to that of the Australian hearing population. Parents in the present study, however, reported significantly more concerns on the social problem and thought problem scales than did Australian parents of hearing children and adolescents. There were also significant differences between the prevalence and nature of mental health problems as reported by the deaf adolescents in the present study when compared to deaf adolescents in another Australian study. These differences appear to be explained by differences in the preferred communication mode of the participants in the two studies. Conclusions: The known heterogeneity within the Australian deaf child and adolescent population with respect to preferred mode of communication has important implications not only for the appropriate selection and use of psychiatric instruments in assessing child and adolescent mental health but also for the accurate reporting of the prevalence and nature of mental health problems within this population.


Author(s):  
Herbert E. Ainamani ◽  
Godfrey Z. Rukundo ◽  
Timothy Nduhukire ◽  
Eunice Ndyareba ◽  
Tobias Hecker

Abstract Background Child maltreatment poses high risks to the mental health and cognitive functioning of children not only in childhood but also in later life. However, it remains unclear whether child maltreatment is directly associated with impaired cognitive functioning or whether this link is mediated by mental health problems. Our study aimed at examining this research question among children and adolescents in Uganda. Methods A sample of 232 school-going children and adolescents with a mean age of 14.03 (SD = 3.25) was assessed on multiple forms of maltreatment using the Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology Exposure—Pediatric Version (pediMACE). Executive functions were assessed by the Tower of London task and working memory by the Corsi Block Tapping task, while mental health problems were assessed using the Child PTSD Symptom Scale for PTSD and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC). Results In total, 232 (100%) of the participant reported to have experienced at least one type of maltreatment in their lifetime including emotional, physical, and sexual violence as well as neglect. We found a negative association between child maltreatment and executive functions (β = − 0.487, p < 0.001) and working memory (β = − 0.242, p = 0.001). Mental health problems did not mediate this relationship. Conclusions Child maltreatment seems to be related to lower working memory and executive functioning of affected children and adolescents even after controlling for potential cofounders. Our study indicates that child maltreatment the affects children’s cognitive functionality beyond health and well-being.


2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
AbdulKareem AlObaidi

Children and adolescents constitute half of Iraq's population of over 30 million. Mental health problems experienced by Iraqi children and adolescents are a hidden problem. Many factors contribute to the mental health problems of young Iraqis, including being victims and witnesses to violence, seeing family members become victims, being displaced from their homes, and experiencing the instability that still plagues their nation. Iraqis have experienced severe deprivation caused by many years of war, economic embargoes and civil unrest. Violence, poverty and the failure of the education and health systems have severely undermined the well-being of Iraqis, especially children (AlObaidi et al, 2009).


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Herbert E Ainamani ◽  
Godfrey Z Rukundo ◽  
Timothy Nduhukire ◽  
Eunice Ndyareba ◽  
Tobias Hecker

Abstract Background: Child maltreatment poses high risks to the mental health and cognitive functioning of children not only in childhood but also in later life. However, it remains unclear whether child maltreatment is directly associated with impaired cognitive functioning or whether this link is mediated by mental health problems. Our study aimed at examining this research question among children and adolescents in Uganda. Methods: A sample of 232 school-going children and adolescents with a mean age of 14.03 (SD = 3.25) was assessed on multiple forms of maltreatment using the Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology Exposure – Pediatric Version (pediMACE). Executive functions were assessed by the Tower of London task and working memory by the Corsi Block Tapping task, while mental health problems were assessed using the Child PTSD Symptom Scale for PTSD and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC).Results: In total, 232(100%) of the participant reported to have experienced at least one type of maltreatment in their lifetime ranging from having been intentionally pushed by an authority figure (89.7%, n = 208) to entering an object in the participant’s body (2.6%, n =6). We found a negative association between child maltreatment and executive functions (β = -0.487, p < .001) and working memory (β = -0.242, p = .001). Mental health problems did not mediate this relationship.Conclusions: Child maltreatment seems to be related to lower working memory and executive functioning of affected children and adolescents even after controlling for potential cofounders. Our study indicates that child maltreatment affects children’s cognitive functionality beyond health and well-being.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document