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Teachers' referral of children with mental health problems: A study of primary schools in Hong Kong
Author(s) -
Luk S. L.,
Leung W. L. Patrick,
Lee P. L. M.,
LiehMak F.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
psychology in the schools
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1520-6807
pISSN - 0033-3085
DOI - 10.1002/1520-6807(198804)25:2<121::aid-pits2310250205>3.0.co;2-9
Subject(s) - referral , judgement , psychology , anxiety , mental health , clinical judgement , sample (material) , rating scale , scale (ratio) , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , psychiatry , family medicine , medicine , chemistry , physics , chromatography , quantum mechanics , political science , law
Teachers of a representative sample of 914 children ranging in age from 6 to 12, selected from primary schools in Hong Kong, were asked to fill in the Conners Teacher's Rating Scale (CTRS). Two months later, they were asked to decide whether these children had behavioural or emotional problems that required referring to helping professionals, assuming that resources were unlimited. Out of the total of 240 teachers, 222 responded, giving a final sample of 874 children representing 95.6% of the original sample. A total of 55 students were reconsidered as requiring referral, giving a referral rate of 6.3%, which was probably a conservative estimation. The referred had significantly higher CTRS total and subscale scores (except for the anxiety/tension subscale) when compared with the nonreferred. The various factors affecting teachers' referral were examined. Referrals based on CTRS scores and the teachers' judgement probably represent two different frames of reference. Some practical ways to help the teachers in deciding whether to refer will be useful. Rating scales may be a useful guide, the CTRS being one of them.