Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Psychiatric disorders, performance level at school and special education at early elementary school age

  • Published:
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We assessed the relationship between psychological deviance and performance level at school among 8-year-old children. The use of special education among children with psychiatric disorders was also studied. In Stage 1, 5813 children were studied using the Rutter Parent Questionnaire (RA2), the Rutter Teacher Questionnaire (RB2) and the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI). In Stage 2, a subsample (n=424) of these children were interviewed, using the Isle of Wight Interview. In Stage 1, more children defined as low achievers (LAs) came from low SES families than did average (NAs) and high achievers (HAs). They also had more psychiatric symptoms, and they scored above the cutoff (13 points on the RA2, nine points on the RB2 and 17 points on the CDI) more commonly than other children. In Stage 2, two thirds of children who received special education had some psychiatric disorder. The probability of a child with psychiatric disorder obtaining some extra tutoring or special education was 3.1-fold when compared with children without psychiatric disorders. Depressive children and children with attention deficit disorders most commonly had extra tutoring (4.8-fold) when compared with children without psychiatric disorders. The probability of getting special education was highest for attention deficit disorders (6.2-fold), thereafter for anxiety (3.1-fold), and for oppositional/conduct disorders (2.8-fold).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Almqvist F, Ikäheimo K, Kumpulainen K, Tuompo-Johansson E, Linna S-L, Puura K, Moilanen I, Räsänen E, Tamminen T, Piha J (1999) Design and subjects of a Finnish Epidemiological Study on psychiatric disorders in childhood. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 8: Suppl. 4 (this issue)

  2. Almqvist F, Puura K, Kumpulainen K, Tuompo-Johansson E, Henttonen I, Huikko E, Linna S-L, Ikäheimo K, Aronen E, Katainen S, Piha J, Moilanen I, Räsänen E, Tamminen T (1999) Psychiatric disorders in 8–9-year-old children based on a diagnostic interview with the parent. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 8: Suppl. 4 (this issue)

  3. Almqvist F, Tuompo-Johansso E, Panelius E, Aronen E, Kairemo A-C (1991) Depressive symptoms according to the Children’s Depression Inventory developed by Kovacs. In: Tamminen T, Almqvist F, Piha J (Eds) Psychiatric symptoms in Finnish children, an epidemiological study of 1000 8-year-old children in five regions of the country. Reports of Psychiatria Fennica no. 91. Helsinki

  4. Anderson JC, Williams S, McGee R, Silva PA (1987) DSM-III disorders in preadolescent children. Archives of General Psychiatry 44:69–76

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Baumgaertel A, Wolraich ML, Dietrich M (1995) Comparison of diagnostic criteria for attention deficit disorders in a German elementary school sample. Journal of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 34:625–638

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Brier N (1995) Predicting antisocial behaviour in youngsters displaying poor academic achievement: a review of risk factors. Journal of Developmental and Behavioural Pediatrics 16:271–276

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Chen X, Rubib KH, Li BS (1995) Depressed mood in Chinese children: relations with school performance and family environment. Journal of Consulting Clinical Psychology 63:938–947

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Cohen RM, Weingartner H, Smallberg SA, Picker D, Murphy DL (1982) Effort and cognition in depression. Archives of General Psychiatry 39:593–597

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Costello AJ, Edelbrock C, Dulcan MK, Kalas R, Klaric SH (1984) Development and testing of the NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children in a clinic population. Final report (Contract No. RFP-DB-81-0027) Center for Epidemiologic Studies, National Institute of Mental Health, Rockville, MD

    Google Scholar 

  10. Edelsohn G, Ialongo N, Werhamer-Larsson L, Crockett L, Kellam S (1992) Self-reported depressive symptoms in first-grade children: developmentally transient phenomena? Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 31:282–290

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Estrada P, Arsenio WF, Hess RD, Holloway SD (1987) Affective quality of the mother-child relationship: longitudinal consequences for children’s schoolrelevant cognitive functioning. Developmental Psychology 23:210–215

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Fergusson DM, Lynskey MT, Harwood LJ (1994) The effects of parental separation, the timing of separation and gender on children’s performance and cognitive tests. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 35:1077–1092

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Georgiou SN (1995) Family dynamics and school achievement in Cyprus. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 36:977–991

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Hille ETM, Ouden ALD, Bauer L, van den Oudenrijn C, Brand R, Verloove-Vanhorick SP (1994) School performance at nine years of age in very premature and very low birth weight infants: Perinatal risk factors and predictors at five years of age. Journal of Pediatrics 125:426–434

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Kovacs M (1980) Rating scales to assess depression in school-aged children. Acta Paedopsychiatrica 46:305–315

    Google Scholar 

  16. Kovacs M, Feinberg TL, Crouse-Novak MA, Paulauskas SL, Finkelstein R (1984) Depressive disorders in childhood. Archives of General Psychiatry 41:229–237

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Kovacs M, Goldston D (1991) Cognitive and social cognitive development of depressed children and adolescents. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 30:388–392

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Kovacs M (1992) Children’s Depression Inventory. MHS: New York

    Google Scholar 

  19. Kumpulainen K, Räsänen E, Henttonen I (1997) The persistence of psychiatric disturbance among children. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 32:113–122

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Lewis SA, Johnson J, Cohen P, Garcia M, Velez CN (1988) Attempted suicide in youth: its relationship to school achievement, educational goals, and socioeconomic status. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology 16:459–471

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Maughan B, Pickles A, Hagell A, Rutter M, Yule W (1996) Reading problems and antisocial behaviour: Developmental trends in comorbidity. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 37:405–418

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. McGonaughy SH, Ritter DR (1986) Social competence and behavioural problems of learning disabled boys aged 6–11. Journal of Learning Disabilities 19:39–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Nabuzoka D, Smith PK (1993) Sociometric status and social behaviour of children with and without learning difficulties. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 34:1435–1448

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Official statistics of Finland, Education and Research. 1989:16

  25. Puura K, Tamminen T, Almqvist F, Kresanov K, Kumpulainen K, Moilanen I, Koivisto A-M (1997) Should depression in young school-children be diagnosed with different criteria? European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 6:12–19

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Rousseau C, Drapeau A, Corin E (1996) School performance and emotional problems in refugee children. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 66:239–251

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Rutter M (1967) A children’s behaviour questionnaire for completion by teachers: preliminary findings. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 8:1–11

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Rutter M, Graham P (1966) Psychiatric disorder in 10- and 11-year-old children. Proc Royal Soc Med 59:382–387

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Rutter M, Tizad J, Whitmore K (1970) Education, Health and Behaviour. London: Longman

    Google Scholar 

  30. Sanson A, Prior M, Smart D (1996) Reading disabilities with and without behaviour problems at 7–8 years: Prediction from longitudinal data from infancy to 6 years. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 37:529–541

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Sharp D, Hay DF, Pawlby S, Schmuecker G, Allen H, Kumar R (1995) The impact of postnatal depression on boys’ intellectual development. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 36:1315–1336

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Stevenson J, Fredman G (1990) The social environment correlates of reading ability. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 31:681–698

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Sturniolo MG, Galletti F (1994) Idiopathic epilepsy and school achievement. Archives of Disease in Childhood 70:424–428

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Sylva K (1994) School influences on children’s development. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 35:135–170

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Taylor AR, Asher SR, Williams GA (1987) The social adaptation of main-streamed mildly retarded children. Child Development 58:1321–1334

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Watt NF, Moorehead-Slaughter O, Japzon DM, Keller GG (1990) Children’s adjustment to parental divorce: self-image, social relations, and school performance. In: Rolf J, Masten AS, Cicchetti D, Nuecherlein KH, Weintraub S (Eds) Risk and Protective Factors on the Development of Psychopathology (pp. 281–303). New York: Cambridge University Press

    Google Scholar 

  37. Verhulst FC, Koot HM, Berden GF (1990) Four-year follow-up of an epidemiological sample. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 29:440–448

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Child Psychiatry, Kuopio University Hospital, P.O.B. 1777, FIN-70211, Kuopio, Finland

    K. Kumpulainen MD, PhD

  2. Kuopio University, Kuopio, Finland

    E. Räsänen

  3. South Karelia Central Hospital, Lappeenranta, Finland

    I. Henttonen

  4. Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland

    K. Puura

  5. Oulu University, Oulu, Finland

    I. Moilanen

  6. Turku University, Turku, Finland

    J. Piha

  7. Tampere University, Tampere, Finland

    T. Tamminen

  8. Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland

    F. Almqvist

Authors
  1. K. Kumpulainen MD, PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. E. Räsänen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. I. Henttonen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. K. Puura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. I. Moilanen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. J. Piha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. T. Tamminen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. F. Almqvist
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to K. Kumpulainen MD, PhD.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kumpulainen, K., Räsänen, E., Henttonen, I. et al. Psychiatric disorders, performance level at school and special education at early elementary school age. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 8 (Suppl 4), S48–S54 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00010700

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00010700

Key words

Search

Navigation