INTRODUCTION: Family history of psychopathology is a risk factor for mood and anxiety disorders in children, but little is known about rates of parental psychopathology among treatment-seeking youth with affective disorders in the Asia Pacific region. This study examined patterns of emotional and behavioural problems in parents of clinically-referred youth in Singapore. We hypothesised that parents would have higher rates of affective disorders compared to the Singapore national prevalence rate of 12%. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 47 families were recruited from affective disorders and community-based psychiatry programmes run by a tertiary child psychiatry clinic. All children had a confirmed primary clinical diagnosis of depression or an anxiety disorder. Parents completed the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) to assess for lifetime mood and anxiety disorders. They also completed the Adult Self Report (ASR) and Adult Behavior Checklist (ABCL) to assess current internalising and externalising symptoms. RESULTS: Consistent with our hypothesis, 38.5% of mothers and 10.5% of fathers reported a lifetime mood and anxiety disorder. Nearly 1/3 of mothers had clinical/subclinical scores on current internalising and externalising problems. A similar pattern was found for internalising problems among fathers, with a slightly lower rate of clinical/subclinical externalising problems. CONCLUSION Our findings are consistent with previous overseas studies showing elevated rates of affective disorders among parents - particularly mothers - of children seeking outpatient psychiatric care. Routine screening in this population may help to close the current treatment gap for adults with mood and anxiety disorders.
Adult ; Anxiety Disorders ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Child ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Family Health ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mood Disorders ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Parent-Child Relations ; Parenting ; psychology ; Parents ; psychology ; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales ; Psychopathology ; Singapore ; epidemiology

INTRODUCTIONThis study aimed to determine the sleep patterns and dysfunctions in children with learning problems in comparison against a local population-based sample.

MATERIALS AND METHODSParents of 200 children with learning problems and 372 parents of a local population-based sample of typically developing (TD) children were recruited to complete a questionnaire on their child's sleep patterns and sleep problems. The Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) is a validated parent-reported sleep screening questionnaire that contains 54 items identifying sleep behaviours in children.

RESULTSThe mean age of the sample was 4.2 years (SD: 1.4; range, 2 to 6 years). Sleep duration was similar between the 2 groups. The difference in mean CSHQ subscale scores between children with learning problems and TD children was significant for sleep-disordered breathing (1.3 vs 1.2,= 0.001). Among children with learning problems, 36.5% snored (vs 26.6% of TD children), 30.5% had noisy breathing (vs 18.8%), and 9.0% (vs 4.6%) experienced difficulty breathing 2 or more times a week. Children with learning problems woke up in a more irritable mood (= 0.01), had more difficulty in getting out of bed (<0.001), and took a longer time to be alert (<0.001). They exhibited fewer behaviours of daytime drowsiness (= 0.009). Among this group of children, 15.0% of parents reported that their child had a sleep problem compared to 9.0% in the TD group.

CONCLUSIONSleep breathing disorders and symptoms of morning sleepiness are more prevalent in children with learning problems. Symptoms of daytime lethargy are similar between the 2 groups. We suggest that a simple outpatient screening targeted at these problems be instituted in the initial workup of any child with learning difficulties.

Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Comorbidity ; Female ; Humans ; Irritable Mood ; Learning Disorders ; epidemiology ; Male ; Prevalence ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Sleep ; Sleep Apnea Syndromes ; epidemiology ; Sleep Hygiene ; Sleep Wake Disorders ; epidemiology ; Snoring ; epidemiology

INTRODUCTIONPrevious research has shown single mothers to be at greater risk for both physical and mental health disorders as compared to married mothers. Psychiatric disorders, in particular depression, have been shown to be more prevalent in single mothers than married mothers. This study was aimed at comparing the prevalence of depression, other mood, and anxiety disorders in single and married mothers in a multiethnic Asian society.

MATERIALS AND METHODSThe Singapore Mental Health Study (SMHS) was a cross-sectional survey of the representative population of Singapore. The survey targeted Singapore residents aged 18 years and above. Trained interviewers established the diagnoses of mental disorders using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview version 3.0 (CIDI 3.0). Physical illnesses, social support and sociodemographic correlates were established using structured interviews. For the purpose of this study, single mothers were defined as unmarried, divorced/separated/widowed mothers who had children aged 21 years and below.

RESULTSFace-to-face interviews were completed with 6616 respondents from December 2009 to December 2010. After controlling for sociodemographic correlates in multiple logistic regression model, single mothers had significantly higher odds of having mood disorders (OR = 5.28) as compared to married mothers.

CONCLUSIONOur study found that single mothers in Singapore across ethnicities, experienced a higher risk for mood disorders as elsewhere in the world. Single motherhood was also associated with lower age and education. Our study identifies young, single mothers as a vulnerable group associated with mental illnesses that must be targeted with specific interventions to improve mental health and well-being.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anxiety ; epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Depression ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mood Disorders ; epidemiology ; Mothers ; psychology ; Prevalence ; Risk ; Risk Assessment ; Singapore ; Single Parent ; psychology ; Social Support ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: The aims of the present study are to investigate the rate of the psychiatric disorders in psychiatrically high-risk children and adolescents and to examine sex and age differences in the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders. METHODS: The participants included students aged 6-16 from the 27 elementary and the 45 middle schools in Busan, Korea. We screened psychopathology using the Korean version of Child Behavior Checklist (K-CBCL) or the Youth Self Report (K-YSR). A total of 2,912 students were selected as high-risk students on the basis of cut-off scores (T-score > or =60) for a total behavior problem score of K-CBCL/K-YSR. Of these high-risk students, 1,985 students participated in and completed individual diagnostic interviews. Psychiatric diagnosis was assessed using a Korean version of the Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine sex and age differences of psychiatric diagnosis. RESULTS: Based on sex, boys were more likely to have ADHD and girls were more likely to have depression. Based on age, children were more likely to have ADHD and adolescents were more likely to have affective disorder, conduct disorder, psychotic disorder, and anxiety disorders except separation anxiety disorder. CONCLUSION: This is the largest study to conduct face-to-face interviews with subjects and parent(s) among Korean studies in this field. The present study revealed significant differences across sex and age among specific psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. Future population-based studies will be required to ascertain the sex- and age-related differences of psychiat prevalence.
Adolescent* ; Anxiety Disorders ; Anxiety, Separation ; Busan ; Checklist ; Child Behavior ; Child* ; Conduct Disorder ; Depression ; Diagnosis ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Mental Disorders ; Mood Disorders ; Prevalence ; Psychopathology ; Psychotic Disorders ; Schizophrenia ; Self Report

We searched databases and used various online resources to identify and systematically review all articles on occupational psychiatric disorders among Korean workers published in English and Korean before 2009. Three kinds of occupational psychiatric disorders were studied: disorders related to job stress and mental illness, psychiatric symptoms emerging in victims of industrial injuries, and occupational psychiatric disorders compensated by Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI). Korea does not maintain official statistical records for occupational psychiatric disorders, but several studies have estimated the number of occupational psychiatric disorders using the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service (COMWEL, formerly KLWC) database. The major compensated occupational psychiatric disorders in Korea were "personality and behavioral disorders due to brain disease, damage, and dysfunction", "other mental disorders due to brain damage and dysfunction and to physical diseases", "reactions to severe stress and adjustment disorders", and "depressive episodes". The most common work-related psychiatric disorders, excluding accidents, were "neurotic, stress-related, and somatoform disorders" followed by "mood disorders".
Accidents, Occupational/*psychology ; Brain Damage, Chronic/epidemiology ; Depression/epidemiology ; Humans ; Mood Disorders/epidemiology ; Neurotic Disorders/epidemiology ; Occupational Diseases/*epidemiology/psychology ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Somatoform Disorders/epidemiology ; Stress, Psychological/*epidemiology/psychology ; Workers' Compensation/*economics

INTRODUCTIONPathological gambling has been defined as a persistent and recurrent maladaptive gambling behaviour that disrupts personal, family and work life. The present study reports on the sociodemographic features, gambling activity, comorbidity and legal problems in a sample of 150 pathological gamblers who sought treatment from the Community Addiction Management Programme (CAMP), Singapore over a 4-year period from 2002 to 2006.

MATERIALS AND METHODSData were collected on 150 consecutive subjects who sought treatment at CAMP. Patients were administered a semi-structured interview to elicit demographic data, age of onset, family history, onset games and types of games ever played, largest debt incurred due to gambling, triggers, illegal activities and suicidal attempts by their counsellor. Patients were then assessed by the clinicians to establish the primary and comorbid diagnoses.

RESULTSThe mean age of the subjects was 42.5 [standard deviation (SD) 10.2] years. The majority of them were males (87.3%) and of Chinese origin (97.3%). The most common comorbid disorders were mood disorders (n = 22, 14.7%), substance abuse (n = 11, 7.3%) and alcohol abuse or dependence (n = 7, 4.7%). Sixteen (10.7%) subjects had a history of suicidal attempts which had been precipitated by gambling-related issues.

CONCLUSIONSPathological gambling in our subjects appears to be associated with significant comorbidity and financial problems. These are the preliminary findings and further research is needed regarding the phenomenology, profile, course and response to treatment of pathological gambling disorders.

Adult ; Comorbidity ; Female ; Gambling ; psychology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mood Disorders ; epidemiology ; Singapore

OBJECTIVETo investigate the etiology of Gan-qi inversion syndrome and Gan-qi stagnation syndrome, and to study the evocative mode of emotional diseases.

METHODSOne thousand and twenty-six subjects, engaged as workers, cadres, teachers and farmers, come from Qingdao City, Jinan City and Qingyun County were surveyed adopting the on-spot investigation.

RESULTSThe percentage of patients with Gan-qi inversion or stagnation syndrome caused by emotional internal injury was 53.9%; the emotional stimulations were primary the angry with compunction and the gloomy angry with grievance, secondly the unacquirable wishes, anxiety and grief.

CONCLUSIONEmotional stimulation is the main cause of Gan-qi inversion or stagnation syndromes, cross actions of several emotional factors directly impairing Gan is the main evocative mode of emotional diseases.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Depression ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Mood Disorders ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Qi ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Syndrome

It is well-known that more than 50% of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) cases also have comorbid psychiatric disorders. We evaluated the comorbid psychopathology of Korean children and adolescents with ADHD using a standardized diagnostic instrument. The Korean Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL-K) was administered and completed in 105 patients who had been referred to the outpatient and inpatient clinics at the Samsung Medical Center from March 2004 to May 2005. All of the cases were diagnosed as ADHD according to DSM-IV criteria. We analyzed their clinical characteristics and psychiatric comorbidities, and assessed the correlation of any comorbidity with gender, age and ADHD subtype. Among our 105 participants, 70 (66.7%) subjects were diagnosed with combined-type ADHD, 22 (21.0%) were the predominantly inattentive type, only 1 (1.0%) was determined to have the predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type of ADHD, and 12 (11.4%) were classified as not otherwise specified (NOS) ADHD. Eighty (76.2%) subjects had at least one comorbid disorder such as oppositional defiant disorder (n = 53, 50.5%), anxiety disorders (n = 35, 33.3%) and affective disorders (n = 15, 14.3%). Our patients ranged in age from five to 16 years. Among the factors including gender, age, and ADHD subtype, ADHD subtype was the only one significant to comorbidity in our study. The results of this study suggest that psychiatric comorbidity in Korean children with ADHD is similar to the results of previous studies in western countries. Out of all the ADHD subtypes, the combined-type group had a significantly higher ratio of comorbid disorders and psychopathologies.
Tic Disorders/epidemiology ; Mood Disorders/epidemiology ; Mental Disorders/*epidemiology ; Male ; Korea/epidemiology ; Humans ; Female ; Elimination Disorders/epidemiology ; Comorbidity ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/classification/*epidemiology ; Anxiety Disorders/epidemiology ; Adolescent

OBJECTIVES: One of the objectives of this study is to estimate the prevalence rates of psychiatric diagnoses in the combined populations of psychiatric hospitals, psychiatric nursing facilities and homeless asylums using the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (K-CIDI), which is a comprehensive and fully standardized interview schedule to assess psychiatric disorders for diagnosis. The Other objective is to compare with previously studied prevalence rates of psychiatric diagnoses using the results of this study. METHODS : The study subjects, aged from 18 to 64 years, were randomly selected from 64,582 institutionalized population of psychiatric hospitals, psychiatric nursing facilities and homeless asylums as of 30, June, 2001. Twelve trained interviewers administered the K-CIDI to the selected respondents. A total of 1,875 respondents (male 1,194, female 681) completed the interview. RESULTS : The lifetime and one year prevalences of any diagnosis excluding nicotine dependence. withdrawal, anxiety disorder, eating disorder, somatoform disorder were 88.2% (male 88.1%, female 88.3%), and 65.8% (male 62.7%, female 73.7%), respectively. The lifetime and one year prevalences of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders were 78.5% (male 75.3%, female 83.7%), and 56.8% (male 51.9%, female 64.8%), respectively. The lifetime and one year prevalences of alcohol use disorder (dependence/abuse) were 26.7% (male 37.9%, female 8.3%), and 8.7% (male 12.8%, female 2.1%), respectively. The lifetime and one year prevalences of mood disorder were 18.1% (male 13.5%, female 25.8%), and 10.4% (male 7.2%, female 16.9%), respectively. The lifetime and one year prevalences of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders were comparable with the 2001 community survey by 1.19% to 1.32%, and 0.51% to 0.61%, respectively. The lifetime and one year prevalences of schizophrenia were also comparable by 0.16% to 0.28%, and 0.16% to 0.25%, respectively. There were no significant changes of prevalence rates when correction were applied to other psychiatric diagnosis. CONCLUSION : The results of this study could be used for evaluating the distribution of psychiatric diagnoses in mental health related facilities and for planning mental health policies.
Anxiety Disorders ; Appointments and Schedules ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Diagnosis ; Feeding and Eating Disorders ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Hospitals, Psychiatric ; Humans ; Mental Disorders* ; Mental Health* ; Mood Disorders ; Prevalence* ; Psychiatric Nursing ; Psychotic Disorders ; Schizophrenia ; Somatoform Disorders ; Tobacco Use Disorder

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to estimate the prevalence of the DSM-IV psychiatric disorders in Korean population using the Korean version of Composite International Diagnostic Interview (K-CIDI). METHODS: Subjects were selected by taking multi-stage, cluster samples of 7,867 adult household residents, 18 to 64 years of age, in ten catchment areas. Total 78 trained interviewers administered the K-CIDI to the selected respondents, from June 1 to November 30, 2001. RESULTS: Total 6,275 respondents completed the interview. Some 33.5% of respondents reported at least one lifetime disorder, 20.6% reported at least one-year disorder, and 16.7% reported at least one-month disorder. The most common lifetime disorders were alcohol abuse/dependence (17.24%), nicotine dependence/withdrawal (11.19%), specific phobia (5.16%), and major depressive disorder (4.25%). The lifetime prevalence of substance abuse/dependence (0.25%) and schizophrenia (0.16%) was very low. Nicotine and alcohol use disorder showed very high male/female ratio. Mood disorder and anxiety disorder were more prevalent among female than male. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was high. In comparison with other studies, remarkable differences in distributions of psychiatric disorders across the areas and times were observed.
Adult ; Anxiety Disorders ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Epidemiology ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mood Disorders ; Nicotine ; Phobic Disorders ; Prevalence* ; Schizophrenia