Current state and recent developments of child psychiatry in China

Abstract

China has a population of 1.3 billion, of which 238 million are children under age 15. The rapid economic development and social reforms that have taken place in recent years all had a great influence on child and adolescent mental health. Though a nationwide prevalence study for child and adolescent mental disorders in China is lacking, several regional studies have shown the prevalence of mental disorders in children to be close to the worldwide prevalence of 20%. This article reviews the current status of Chinese child psychiatry, the prevalence of specific disorders in China and the influence of culture on the diagnosis and treatment of child and adolescent mental disorders. Several important social issues are also explored in detail, including the one child policy and left-behind children of migrating workers. Changes in family structures along with the growing competitions in life have weakened the traditional social support system. As a result childhood behavioral problems, mood disorders in young college students, substance abuse and youth suicide are all increasing in China. Many who suffer from mental disorders are not adequately cared for because the scarcity of qualified service providers and pathways to care. This article also lists some challenges and possible solutions, including the multidisciplinary and culture sensitive service model for child mental health. Relevant laws, policies and regulations are also introduced.

Meta‐analysis of the mental health status of left‐behind children in China

“…Living in unstable family environments, having inadequate parental care and receiving less mental health education from their schools contribute to their poor mental health status . Previous studies have shown that LBC are much more prone to experiencing various mental problems, such as sensitivity, loneliness and depression . More importantly, these issues affect not only children's growth and development but also lead to serious mental problems in adulthood .…”

Psychiatric inpatient beds for youths in China: data from a nation-wide survey

“…Studies have shown that mental disorders in this age group are common in China, although no national data are currently available. For example, some regional surveys showed the prevalence of mental disorders in children and adolescents was approximately 20% [3], similar to that of many developed countries. Two studies in different regions in China found that the time-point (current) prevalence rates of major depressive disorder in 6 to 16 yearolds were 0.61% and 1.2% [4,5].…”

“…Although child psychiatry has always been an important subspecialty of psychiatry in China, the overall development of the eld in China has been slow as demonstrated by a scarcity of trained professionals, limited availability of treatment facilities, and a lack of funding and policy support [3,19].…”

Addressing Autism Spectrum Disorders in China

“…Two of the six articles focus on prevalence research (Sun & Allison, ; Wan et al., ), one on screening and diagnosis (Sun et al., ), one on parents’ needs (Wong et al, ), one on services provided (Sun, Allison, Auyeung, Baron‐Cohen, & Brayne, ), and one on inclusive practices (Peters & Forlin, ). A seventh article focuses not on autism research but simply on child psychiatry in China (Zheng & Zheng, ). None of these review articles gives an overall picture of general trends in ASD research as carried out in China.…”