Summary
Children and families of Greek and Turkish migrant workers were compared with two samples of German subjects in West Berlin. One sample contained lower class subjects only, while the other was representative with regard to social class composition based on local census data. All four samples were matched with regard to age and sex of the children. While the Greek sample was based on epidemiological screening procedures of the total population of 8- to 11-year-old children, the Turkish subjects came from one primary school situated in an area densely populated by Turks. The study was based on parental interviews covering the areas of child psychopathology and family functioning. With regard to psychiatric disorders in children, the Turks had the highest frequency and the Greeks the lowest. The frequency of family-functioning disorders was distributed similarly. Although there were clear correlations between the severity of the child's disturbance and certain indicators of disturbed family functioning, migration factors did not have the same impact. It is hypothesized that different degrees of cultural pressure and family organization account for these findings.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aurelius G (1979) Adjustment and behaviour of Finnish and southern European immigrant children in Stockholm. Scand J Soc Med 7: 105–113
Binder J, Simoes M (1978) Sozialpsychiatrie der Gastarbeiter. Fortschr der Neurologie, Psychiatrie und ihrer Grenzgebiete 46: 342–359
Böker W (1975) Psychiatrie der Gastarbeiter. In: Kisker KP, Meyer J-E, Müller C, Strömgren E (Hrsg) Psychiatrie der Gegenwart. Forschung und Praxis, Bd. III. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Ekstrand LH (1977) Migrant adaptation — a cross-cultural problem. A review of research on migration, minority groups and cultural differences, with special regard to children. Bulletin from Department of Educational and Psychological Research, School of Education Malmö, Sweden 59
Eitinger L, Schwarz D (eds) (1981) Strangers in the world. Huber, Berne
Flora L (1975) Transkulturelle Aspekte der klinisch-psychiatrischen Bilder ausländischer Arbeitnehmer und deren Bedeutung für die nervenärztliche Praxis. Confin Psychiatr 18: 193–206
Hafner H, Moschel G, Özek M (1977) Psychische Störungen bei türkischen Gastarbeitern. Eine prospektiv-epidemiologische Studie zur Untersuchung der Reaktion auf Einwanderang und partielle Anpassung. Nervenarzt 48: 268–275
Kantor MB (1965) Some consequences of residential and social mobility for the adjustment of children. In: Kantor MB (ed) Mobility and mental health. Thomas, Springfield, IL
Nann RC (Ed) (1982) Uprooting and surviving — adaptation and resettlement of migrant families and children. Reidel, Dordrecht, Holland
Murphy HBM (1977) Migration, culture and mental health. Psychol Med 7: 677–684
Quinton D (1980) Cultural and community influences. In: Rutter M (ed) Scientific foundations of developmental psychiatry. Heinemann, London
Richman N, Graham P 8 year-old interview. Unpublished manuscript, London
Rocha Trindade MB (Ed) (1983) Psychopathology of the transplantation of migrants. European Science Foundation, Strasbourg
Röhrig A, Bayer WG, Gärtner-Harnach V, Krolage J, Paul BR, Schulte W, Träumer E (1975) Psychische Störungen bei ausländischen Arbeiterkindern in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. In: Poustka F, Spiel W (eds) Therapien in der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie. V. Kongreß der UEP, Wien
Rutter M, Cox A, Tupling C, Berger M, Yule W (1975) Attainment and adjustment in two geographical areas. I. The prevalence of psychiatric disorder. Br J Psychiatry 126: 433–509
Schmidt MG, Ehrhardt KJ (1975) Psychiatrische Erkrankungen bei “Gastarbeiter-Kindern”. II. Ätiologie und Pathogenese. In: Poustka F, Spiel W (eds) Therapien in der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie. V. Kongreß der UEP, Wien
Steinhausen H-C (1982) Psychische Störungen bei Gastarbeiterkindern im Rahmen einer kinder- und jugendpsychiatrischen Poliklinik. Z Kinder-Jugendpsychiatr 10: 32–49
Wunsch-Hitzig R, Gould MS, Dohrenwend BP (1980) Hypotheses about the prevalence of clinical maladjustment in children in the United States. In: Salzinger S, Antrobus J, Glick J (eds) Ecosystem of the “sick” child. Academic Press, New York
Zwingmann Ch (1979) Nostalgic behaviour — a study of foreign workers in West-Germany. In: Zwingmann Ch, Pfister-Ammende M (eds) Uprooting and after. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported by a grant from the Stiftung Volkswagenwerk
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Steinhausen, HC. Psychiatric disorders in children and family dysfunction. Soc Psychiatry 20, 11–16 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00595043
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00595043