Differences between only children and children with 1 sibling referred to a psychiatric clinic: a test of Richards and Goodman's findings.

OBJECTIVE To test Richards and Goodman's hypothesis that a higher proportion of only children under age 5 years assessed in a psychiatric department do not present a psychiatric diagnosis, compared with preschool children with 1 sibling, and to investigate other variables relative to children in this age group with no psychiatric disorder, in light of Richards and Goodman's findings. METHOD We gathered data from 169 children under age 5 years seen in the psychiatric department of a large pediatric hospital in Montreal, Quebec. RESULTS First, bivariate analysis showed no differences between the proportion of only children and children with 1 sibling regarding absence of a psychiatric diagnosis. Second, multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that child's age and mother's child-rearing attitudes were significant variables. Younger children (that is, age 0 to 2 years) and children whose mothers had "adequate" child-rearing attitudes (that is, not exhibiting significant impatience, rejection, stubbornness, neglect, or overprotectiveness) were more likely to have no disorder. CONCLUSION These findings run counter to Richards and Goodman's results and suggest that other variables, such as child's age and mother's behaviour, are significant predictors of children under age 5 years having no diagnosis.