Abstract
Utilization of various types of services for children's mental health problems was examined among 112 agricultural farm worker families. Pairs of mothers and children (aged 8 to 11) were interviewed using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children and the Child and Adolescent Services Assessment. Sixty-four percent of the children met criterion for one or more psychiatric diagnoses. Children with a psychiatric diagnosis were five times more likely to see a health professional for a mental health problem compared to children without a psychiatric diagnosis. However, less than half of the children with a psychiatric diagnosis saw a health professional for their mental health problems. Families also consulted with school professionals, religious leaders, and non-professionals (such as friends) concerning their children's mental health, but families of children who had a psychiatric diagnosis were not significantly more likely to report these types of consultations than were families of children who did not have a psychiatric diagnosis. These findings are discussed in terms of recommendations for improving the mental health service delivery system for rural children.
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This research was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health Grant #R03 MH 48101, a William T. Grant Faculty Scholar Award and the National Institute of Mental Health Center for Vulnerable Youth Grant No. P20 MH49878 to the second author, and Grant #MCJ-107 from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (Title V, Social Security Act), Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services to the first author. The authors express their gratitutde to the staff of the Tri-County Community Health Center, the staff of the North Carolina Migrant Education Program, the staff of the participating schools, Ms. Donna McCarraher, Ms. Sarah Carroll, and our project interviewers for their assistance in conducting this project.
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Martin, S.L., Kupersmidt, J.B. & Harter, K.S.M. Children of farm laborers: Utilization of services for mental health problems. Community Ment Health J 32, 327–340 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02249451
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02249451