Prevalence of behavioural problems of Khorramabad pre-school children

Malekshahi F1, Farhadi A2 1. Instructor, Department of Society Health, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran 2. Instructor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran Abstract Background: Childhood period it one of the most important stages of life in which individuals personality is formed. The majority of behavioral problems are due to attention deficit to the sensitive periods of childhood. This attention deficit leads to lack of agreement with environment and causes behavioural problems in children. Behavioural problem is attributed to a persons behaviour that his IQ isn lowered, but his or her mental and behavioural equilibrium is deviated from social norm and has severity, repetition and continuance in numerous times and places, so that his educational performance and behaviour will be frustrated and his efficiency is reduced. Such children are always rejected by others and in school there are a lot of grievances against them. Therefore, to pay attention children common behavioural problems is one of the most important topics and it prompt detection makes its treatment possible. So this study designed to determine prevalence of behavioural problems of Khorramabad pre-school children. Materials and methods: This descriptive-cross sectional study was carried out on 600 rural and urban pre-school children selected using random one stage sampling method. Data gathering tool was a two-part questionnaire including demographic and behavioural disorders signs obtained from DSM IV. Reability and validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by the university teaching members and retest method with a correlation coefficient 98%. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (ver 11) and Ch-square test. Results: Results of the study showed that 79% of the rural, and 68% of the urban children were at least involved in one of the behavioural problems. Anxiety, withdrawal and social isolation, too much irrelevant peevishing and crying were higher in urban children, and behavioural problems such as, urinary incontinence, night fear, teeth gnashing, hitting the head against the wall, sleep disorders were higher in rural children. Some of the children behavioural problems such as urinary incontinence, stammering, onychophagia and … had a significant relation with sex, as well as between age, job, educational level of the parents, birth rank, and some behavioural problems a significant relation was observed. Conclusion: These findings showed that most of the pre-school children somehow suffer from behavioural problems, they need more attention and support in the area of mental health which require an accurate and comprehensive planning. So study of children mental health level in the stations of measurement and mental health services in the schools, and education to teachers and parents in order to prevent behavioural disorders, and ontime diagnosis and treatment are necessary.