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Commentary: Timely recognition of mental health needs in young children – parental perception as a way for professionals to understand child, parent, and family needs? – a commentary on McGinnis et al. (2021)
Author(s) -
Scheper Frederike Y.,
Visser Janne C.
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
child and adolescent mental health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.912
H-Index - 46
eISSN - 1475-3588
pISSN - 1475-357X
DOI - 10.1111/camh.12535
Subject(s) - mental health , perception , intervention (counseling) , context (archaeology) , psychology , relevance (law) , developmental psychology , plea , clinical psychology , psychiatry , paleontology , neuroscience , political science , law , biology
There is a growing awareness that identification and intervention of mental health problems in early childhood are effective and have a preventive effect. Nevertheless, the use of mental health services in early childhood is still limited. Investigating parental perception of mental health needs in young children is highly relevant, as parents are the primary informants for young children. In this commentary, we discuss the findings reported by McGinnis et al. on child and parent factors associated with parent perception of mental health needs in young children. We agree with their plea for a shift from the individual child to the family in assessment and intervention, and elaborate on the relevance of endorsing a transdiagnostic, relationship‐based approach to early detection, assessment, and intervention. We propose beginning with the acknowledgment and deeper understanding by professionals of parental perception of young children’s mental health problems and needs, and the realization that the young child’s symptoms and needs are connected with the family and broader (relational) context.