The Worldwide Burden of Infant Mental and Emotional Disorder

Report of the Task Force of the World Association for Infant Mental Health

Bibliographic Data

ID11276144
AuthorsKarlen Lyons‐Ruth (0000-0001-9799-976X, Harvard Medical School Cambridge, MA, corresponding author), Jody Todd Manly (0000-0001-9233-0266, University of Rochester Rochester, NY), Kai Von Klitzing (0000-0003-3010-5121, University of Leipzig Leipzig Germany), TUULA TAMMINEN (0000-0001-5744-9878, University of Tampere Tampere Finland), Robert N Emde (University of Colorado Denver), Robert Emde (University of Colorado School of Medicine Denver, Colorado), Hiram Fitzgerald (Michigan State University East Lansing, MI), Hiram E Fitzgerald (0000-0001-8365-8585, Michigan State University), Campbell Paul (0000-0002-5669-6495, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne Melbourne Australia), Miri Keren (Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv Israel), Astrid Berg (0000-0002-1573-8767, Stellenbosch University Cape Town South Africa), Maree Foley (Child, Family and Organisational Consultancy Geneva Switzerland), Hisako Watanabe (Watanabe Clinic Yokohama Japan)
Year2017
Volume38
Issue6
Pages695-705
Publication date2017-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInfant Mental Health Journal (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0163-9641 • E-ISSN: 1097-0355
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/imhj.21674
PMID29088514
OpenAlexW2767027809
LanguageEN
Citations received20
References cited42

Children worldwide experience mental and emotional disorders. Mental disorders occurring among young children, especially infants (birth –3 years), often go unrecognized. Prevalence rates are difficult to determine because of lack of awareness and difficulty assessing and diagnosing young children. Existing data, however, suggest that rates of disorders in young children are comparable to those of older children and adolescents (von Klitzing, Dohnert, Kroll, & Grube, ). The lack of widespread recognition of disorders of infancy is particularly concerning due to the unique positioning of infancy as foundational in the developmental process. Both the brain and behavior are in vulnerable states of development across the first 3 years of life, with potential for enduring deviations to occur in response to early trauma and deprivation. Intervention approaches for young children require sensitivity to their developmental needs within their families. The primacy of infancy as a time of unique foundational risks for disorder, the impact of trauma and violence on young children's development, the impact of family disruption on children's attachment, and existing literature on prevalence rates of early disorders are discussed. Finally, global priorities for addressing these disorders of infancy are highlighted to support prevention and intervention actions that may alleviate suffering among our youngest world citizens

Developmental psychology · Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood · Early childhood · Mental health · Prevalence of mental disorders · Psychiatry · Child Abuse and Trauma · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Clinical Psychology · Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum · Medicine · Psychology