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Psychiatric Morbidity and Family Environment Among Female Juvenile Detainees in a Malaysian Sample

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Abstract

Family environmental factors have been implicated in the development of delinquency and adolescent psychiatric disorders. We examined the association between psychiatric disorders and family environmental factors among female juvenile detainees. A hundred female juvenile detainees in a Malaysian rehabilitation center (12–17 years-old) were assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Child and Adolescent and the Family Environment Scale. Majority of participants (56 %) had a psychiatric disorder, the commonest being Disruptive Behavior Disorders (40 %) and Depressive Disorders (30 %). Multivariate analysis found younger age (OR 0.52; 95 % CI 0.29, 0.94), older maternal age (OR 1.15; 95 % CI 1.03, 1.28), family history of crime (OR 7.19; 95 % CI 1.05, 49.43), family environment i.e. achievement orientation (OR 1.11; 95 % CI 1.02, 1.20) and control (OR 1.12; 95 % CI 1.03, 1.22) as significant factors for psychiatric disorder. This study demonstrated the role of age (younger adolescent and older mother), family history of crime and family environment beyond socio-economic status in psychiatric morbidity among female juvenile detainees. Future larger studies are needed to clarify familial-genetic factors that may impact strategies for family-centric mental health interventions.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the National University of Malaysia Medical Centre Fundamental Research Grant (Project Code: FF-292-2011). The authors would like to thank the Malaysian Department of Social Welfare for their invaluable assistance in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

    Nor S. M. Wazir

  2. Department of Psychiatry, National University of Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC), Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras, 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Wan S. W. Ismail & Lai F. Chan

  3. PAPRSB Institute of Health Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong, Brunei Darussalam

    Lin Naing

  4. Department of Community Medicine, National University of Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Shamsul A. Shah

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  1. Nor S. M. Wazir
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  5. Shamsul A. Shah
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Correspondence to Lai F. Chan.

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Wazir, N.S.M., Ismail, W.S.W., Chan, L.F. et al. Psychiatric Morbidity and Family Environment Among Female Juvenile Detainees in a Malaysian Sample. J Child Fam Stud 25, 3342–3352 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-016-0487-5

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