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Behavioral and emotional problems in a K uala L umpur children's home
Author(s) -
Abd Rahman Fairuz Nazri,
Mohd Daud Tuti Iryani,
Nik Jaafar Nik Ruzyanei,
Shah Shamsul Azhar,
Tan Susan Mooi Koon,
Wan Ismail Wan Salwina
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
pediatrics international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.49
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1442-200X
pISSN - 1328-8067
DOI - 10.1111/ped.12115
Subject(s) - medicine , neglect , anxiety , depression (economics) , clinical psychology , psychiatry , logistic regression , economics , macroeconomics
Background There is a dearth of studies on behavioral and emotional problems in residential care children in M alaysia. This study describes the behavioral and emotional problems in a sample of children in a government residential care home and compares them with their classmates living with their birth parents. Methods A comparative cross‐sectional study was carried out where carers from both groups were asked to fill in the translated B ahasa M elayu version of the C hild B ehavior C heck L ist. Results Forms for 53 residential care children and 61 classmates were completed. The residential care children had significantly higher scores on the rule‐breaking ( P < 0.001) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( DSM ) conduct problem subscales ( P < 0.001). Residential care children's age significantly correlated with DSM somatic problems ( P = 0.03) and post‐traumatic stress ( P = 0.023). Duration of care was significantly positively correlated with rule‐breaking ( P = 0.008), DSM conduct problems ( P = 0.018) and externalizing scores ( P = 0.017). Abuse and neglect cases had higher anxiety and depression scores ( P = 0.024). Number of reasons in care positively correlated with several subscales, including total behavioral problem score ( P = 0.005). Logistic regression revealed the greater number of reasons for placement a child had was significantly associated with having externalizing scores in the clinical range ( P = 0.016). However, after B onferroni correction, only the initial findings regarding rule‐breaking and DSM conduct problem scores remained significant. Conclusions Challenges exist in managing residential care children in M alaysia, especially regarding externalizing behavior. More studies are required to describe the M alaysian scene.