Abdelaziz M Thabet
Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of ADHD and mental health problems among preschool Palestinian children. Method: The sample consisted of 398 randomly selected preschool children with their mothers and teachers. Children were rated using SDQ and ADHD for parents and teachers. Results: The results showed that 28.4% of the children according to mothers displayed psychiatric morbidity. Among the four categories of mental health problems, 45.8% reported conduct, 14.2% reported emotional problems, 46% reported peer relationships problem, 33.8% reported hyperactivity, and 15.1% reported pro-social problems. Boys were more hyperactive than girls. According to mothers report, 31.3% of children met the DSM-IV criteria for inattentive type, 36.3% of children were hyperactive-impulsive, and 29% met criteria for combined type. The results showed boys had more attention, hyperactivity, and combined ADHD type than girls. According to teachers, 46.7% of the children were displayed psychiatric morbidity by their teachers. Among the four categories of mental health problems, 45.8% reported conduct, 11.6% reported emotional, 55.8% reported peer relationship problems, 15.3% reported hyperactivity, and 31.2%, reported prosaically behavior problem. According to teachers report, 28.8% of children met the DSM-IV criteria for inattentive type, 37.3% of children were hyperactive-impulsive, and 28.3% met criteria for combined type of ADHD. Clinical implications:From the above mentioned results, we recommended to conduct more training sessions for parents and teachers specified in one or two specific areas of interest such as behavioural problems and behavioural modification. Involving the fathers in such activities and inviting them to similar training sessions, continuous training inside the kindergarten in specific subjects such as overactivity, using drawing in helping children, play therapy, behavioral modification, and counseling, increase in non curriculum activities in the classes. Increase in number of trips, play sessions, drawing settings, supervision of the kindergarten teachers and regular visits to the kindergartens is required by the project officer and the center directors