Prevalence of children at risk of behavioral problems among preschoolchildren between the ages of 3 and 6 years

Abstract

Background: Behavioral problems often go unnoticed in children; however, it is important to identify and treat the problem in childhood to prevent the long-term disability. Objective: The objective of the study was to find the prevalence of children “at risk” of behavioral problems in preschoolchildren and to identify the social, environmental, and family factors associated with the risk of behavioral problems in preschoolchildren. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in 370 children from 3 to 6 years of age studying in preschools of Bhopal, using Preschool Pediatric Symptom Checklist. Bivariant analysis was performed using Chi-square test on STATA 11.2. Results: Overall prevalence of children at risk of behavioral problems was found to be 46.7% in the studied population. Children belonging to low-income families were at a higher risk of developing behavioral problems (p<0.001). Working mothers and time spent by fathers had a positive impact on a child’s behavior (p=0.008). Other factors that were studied but did not have significant association were gender, age, time spent by mother with child, presence of a sibling, and family size. Conclusion: The main factors contributing to increase in risk in children for developing behavioral problems were found to be less time spent by father with child and lower family income. However, working status of mothers did not increase the risk of developing behavioral problems.