Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39044702›Full record

ArticleJournal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines2025

Characteristics of children with a psychiatric disorder in 1999, 2004 and 2017: an analysis of the national child mental health surveys of England.

Jessica M Armitage, Tamsin Newlove-Delgado, Tamsin Ford, Sally McManus, Stephan Collishaw

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Better Design, Better Engagement, Better Data: Adolescents' Insights for Improving Health Research.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Jessica M ArmitageWolfson Centre for Young People's Mental Health, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
Tamsin Newlove-DelgadoMedical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-5192-3724
Tamsin FordDepartment of Psychiatry, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-5295-4904
Sally McManusHealth and Social Care, National Centre for Social Research, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-2711-0819
Stephan CollishawWolfson Centre for Young People's Mental Health, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.

Funding

Medical Research Council MR/V049879/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWhile research has described the profile of children with poor mental health, little is known about whether this profile and their needs have changed over time. Our aim was to investigate whether levels of difficulties and functional impact faced by children with a psychiatric disorder have changed over time, and whether sociodemographic and family correlates have changed.

methodsSamples were three national probability surveys undertaken in England in 1999, 2004 and 2017 including children aged 5-15 years. Psychiatric disorders were assessed using the Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA), a standardised multi-informant diagnostic tool based on the tenth International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). The impact and difficulties of having a disorder (emotional, behavioural or hyperkinetic) were compared over time using total difficulty and impact scores from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Analyses explored the impact of having any disorder, as well as for each disorder separately. Regression analyses compared associations between disorders and sociodemographic factors over time.

resultsParent- and adolescent-reported total SDQ difficulty and impact scores increased between 1999 and 2017 for children and adolescents with disorders. No differences were noted when using teacher ratings. No differences in total SDQ difficulty score were found for children without a disorder. Comparison of sociodemographic correlates across the surveys over time revealed that ethnic minority status, living in rented accommodation and being in the lowest income quintile had a weaker association with disorder in 2017 compared to 1999.

conclusionsOur study reveals a concerning trend; children with a disorder in 2017 experienced more severe difficulties and greater impact on functioning at school, home and in their daily lives, compared to children with a disorder in earlier decades. Research is needed to identify and understand factors that may explain the changing nature and level of need among children with a disorder.

Indexed as

Mental DisordersAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolEnglandFemaleHealth SurveysHumansMaleChild mental healthfunctioningpsychiatric disordersecular changetime trends

Identifiers

PMID39044702
PMCPMC11754707

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.