Citation

Abd Rahman FN, Mohd Daud TI, Nik Jaafar NR, Shah SA, Tan Mooi Koon S, Wan Ismail WS. Pediatr. Int. 2013; 55(4): 422-427.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, UKM Medical Center, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 56000, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Japan Pediatric Society, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/ped.12115

PMID

23617604

Abstract

BACKGROUND: There is a dearth of studies on behavioral and emotional problems in residential care children in Malaysia. 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 Bahasa Melayu version of the Child Behavior Check List. 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 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 behavior problem score (p=0.005). Logistic regression revealed the more number of reasons for placement a child had was significantly associated with having externalizing scores in the clinical range (p=0.016). However, after Bonferroni correction, only the initial findings regarding rule-breaking and DSM conduct problem scores remained significant. CONCLUSIONS: Challenges exist in managing residential care children in Malaysia, especially regarding externalizing behavior. More studies are required to describe the Malaysian scene.

Language: en