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Prevalence and Predictors of Behavioral Problems in Healthy Swiss Preschool Children Over a One Year Period

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Abstract

Behavioral problems impair children’s health but prevalence rates are scarce and persistence rates vary due to divergence in age ranges, assessment methods and varying environmental factors. The aim of this study was to assess prevalence rates of behavioral problems, their persistence over a 1-year period, and the impact of child- and parent-related factors on behavioral problems. 555 2–6-year-old healthy preschool children were assessed at baseline and 382 of the initial sample at 1-year follow-up. Assessment included questionnaires concerning behavioral problems and their potential predictors (e.g. socio-economic status or parenting style). Altogether, nearly 7% of these children showed clinically relevant behavioral problems, and 3% showed persistent symptoms. Low SES, inconsistent parenting and corporal punishment were positively associated with behavioral problems. The prevalence rates of behavioral problems in Swiss preschoolers are similar to other European countries, but persistence is still rather low within preschool age. These findings need further confirmation in longitudinal studies.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all children, families and day care centers that contributed data to SPLASHY. We also thank all students and the research team for their valuable contribution. The study was funded by a Sinergia grant from the SNF (Grant Number: CRSII3_147673) (http://p3.snf.ch/project-147673) and by the Jacobs Foundation.

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Author notes

  1. Susi Kriemler, Oskar G. Jenni, Jardena J. Puder and Simone Munsch are shared last authors.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Fribourg, Rue P.A. de Faucigny 2, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland

    Kerstin Stülb, Nadine Messerli-Bürgy, Andrea H. Meyer & Simone Munsch

  2. Department of Psychology-Clinical Child Psychology and Biological Psychology, University of Fribourg, Rue P.A. de Faucigny 2, 1700, Fribourg, Switzerland

    Nadine Messerli-Bürgy

  3. Obstetric Service, Lausanne University Hospital, Ave de Sallaz 82, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Nadine Messerli-Bürgy, Amar Arhab & Jardena J. Puder

  4. Child Development Center, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Steinwiesstrasse 75, 8032, Zurich, Switzerland

    Tanja H. Kakebeeke, Annina E. Zysset & Oskar G. Jenni

  5. Children’s Research Center, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Steinwiesstrasse 75, 8032, Zurich, Switzerland

    Tanja H. Kakebeeke & Oskar G. Jenni

  6. Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Hirschengraben 84, 8001, Zurich, Switzerland

    Claudia S. Leeger-Aschmann, Einat A. Schmutz & Susi Kriemler

  7. Department for Psychology, University of Basel, Missionsstrasse 62A, 4055, Basel, Switzerland

    Andrea H. Meyer

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  1. Kerstin Stülb
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Contributions

The overall study was designed and performed by SK, OJ, JP and SM. All authors conducted this research project and contributed to the data collection. AM assisted in statistical analyses. KS drafted and NM and SM revised the first version of the manuscript. All co-authors elaborated and commented on the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript. The last 4 authors have a shared last authorship.

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Correspondence to Simone Munsch.

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Stülb, K., Messerli-Bürgy, N., Kakebeeke, T.H. et al. Prevalence and Predictors of Behavioral Problems in Healthy Swiss Preschool Children Over a One Year Period. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 50, 439–448 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-018-0849-x

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