RT Journal
A1 Brown CM, Copeland KA, Sucharew H, Kahn RS
T1 Social-emotional problems in preschool-aged children: Opportunities for prevention and early intervention
JF Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
JO Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
YR 2012
FD October 1
VO 166
IS 10
SP 926
OP 932
DO 10.1001/archpediatrics.2012.793
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpediatrics.2012.793
AB Objectives 
                  To estimate the prevalence of positive screens for social-emotional problems among preschool-aged children in a low-income clinical population and to explore the family context and receptivity to referrals to help guide development of interventions.Design 
                  Observational, cross-sectional study.Setting 
                  Two urban primary care clinics.Participants 
                  A total of 254 parents of 3- and 4-year-old children at 2 urban primary care clinics.Main Outcome Measures 
                  Score on a standardized screen for social-emotional problems (Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional) and answers to additional survey questions about child care arrangements, parental depressive symptoms, and attitudes toward preschool and behavioral health referrals.Results 
                  Twenty-four percent (95% CI, 16.5%-31.5%) of children screened positive for social-emotional problems. Among those screening positive, 45% had a parent with depressive symptoms, and 27% had no nonparental child care. Among parents of children who screened positive for social-emotional problems, 79% reported they would welcome or would not mind a referral to a counselor or psychologist; only 16% reported a prior referral.Conclusions 
                  In a clinical sample, 1 in 4 low-income preschool-aged children screened positive for social-emotional problems, and most parents were amenable to referrals to preschool or early childhood mental health. This represents an opportunity for improvement in primary prevention and early intervention for social-emotional problems.