Prevalence rate of behavioral disorders among 10-12 year old school children in Rafsanjan, Iran, in 2016; the viewpoint of parents

Background: Behavioral disorders in childhood are very important due to the possibility of behavioral-mental disorders in adulthood. The aim of this study was to determine the rate of behavioral disorders factors among children in the 4th and 5th grade of primary school in Rafsanjan City, Iran, in 2016. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive, cross-sectional study, 500 students were selected from among the 4th and 5th grade of primary school based on the sample size formula and randomized cluster sampling method. Parents of the selected children filled out the demographic characteristics checklist and the Rutter Children&rsquo;s Behavior &lrm;Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test in SPSS software. Results: From the parents&rsquo; points of view, 110 (22%), 45 (9%), and 5 (1%) children had behavioral disorder, symptoms of aggression, and symptoms of antisocial behavior, respectively. The association between prevalence of behavioral disorder and student's age, father's occupation (P < 0.001), parental divorce (P < 0.012), birth rank (P = 0.034), parental addiction (P < 0.001), and parental education (P = 0.048) was statistically significance. Conclusions: The prevalence of behavioral disorders among children in the 4th and 5th grade of primary school in Rafsanjan was high. Due to the negative effects of these disorders on different educational and social aspects of the students, the greater attention of authorities, teachers, and parents seems necessary to identify conducive factors and find appropriate strategies to prevent the emergence of such disorders.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;