Objective To investigate the impact of genetic and environmental factors on mental health status and to estimate the prevalence of subclinical psychiatric symptoms and psychological problems in child and adolescent twins, by using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).
Methods A total of 59 pairs of twins aged 6-16 years were recruited with support from educational committees and schools. After the guardians of these twins had signed an informed consent form, SDQ were completed by the parents and teachers of these twins to investigate their mental health status. Buccal mucosa samples were collected from all twins for DNA extraction and zygosity identification test.
Results The intrapair correlation coefficients of monozygotic twins were significantly different from those of dizygotic twins in terms of emotional symptoms, inattention-hyperactivity, peer problems, impact and diagnostic predictions (including any psychiatric disorder, emotional disorder, oppositional/conduct disorders, ADHD/hyperkinesis). The results from the SDQ screening questionnaire showed that up to 37.5% of the studied twins were suffering from a psychiatric disorder, including emotional disorder (5.5%), oppositional/conduct disorder (29.7%), and ADHD/hyperkinesis (14.8%).
Conclusion Genes plays an important role in the mental health status of child and adolescent twins. More attention should be paid to the mental development and mental health in these twins, because of the considerable prevalence of subclinical psychiatric symptoms and psychological problems.
Citation：
FU Yixiao,MENG Huaqing,LI Tao,XIE Peng,JIA Lu,HUANG Yi,XIANG Yun,DENG Wei,LUO Qinghua,WANG Yingcheng,HU Hua,DU Lian. The Mental Health Status of Child and Adolescent Twins, as Measured by the SDQ. Chinese Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine, 2007, 07(8): 566-570. doi:
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Copyright © the editorial department of Chinese Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine of West China Medical Publisher. All rights reserved
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- 1. LI XR. The prospect and the status quo of mental health service on children in China. Shanghai Archives of Psychiatry, 2002, 14: 33-34.
- 2. Kou JH, Du YS, Xia LM. Reliability and validity of "children strengths and difficulties questionnaire" in Shanghai. Shanghai Archives of Psychiatry, 2005, 17(1): 25-28.
- 3. Liu SJ. The initial factors analysis of the Chinese version of the strengths and difficulties questionaire. Chengdu: Mental Health Center of West China Hospital, Sichuan Univeristy, 2006.
- 4. 李雪荣. 中国儿童精神卫生服务现状与展望. 上海精神医学, 2002, 14 (增刊): 33-34.
- 5. Goodman R. Psychometric properties of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire. J Am Acad Child & Adolesc Psychiatry, 2001, 40: 1337-1345.
- 6. Ford T, Goodman R, Meltzer H. The British Child and Adolescent Mental Health Survey 1999: The Prevalence of DSM-IV Disorders. J Am Acad Child & Adolesc Psychiatry, 2003, 42(10): 1203-1211.
- 7. 寇建华, 杜亚松, 夏黎明. 儿童长处和困难问卷 (父母版)上海常模的信度和效度. 上海精神医学, 2005, 17(1): 25-28.
- 8. 刘书君. 长处和困难问卷（SDQ）中文版的信度和效度研究. 成都: 四川大学华西医院心理卫生中心, 2006.
- 9. BoRon D, EleyT C, O’ConnorT G, et a1. Prevalence and genetic and environmental influences on anxiety disorders in 6-year-old twins. Psychological Medicine, 2005, 36: l-l0.
- 10. Dickey WC, Blumberg SJ．Revisiting the factor structure of the Strengthes and Difficulties Questionnaire: United States, 2001. J Am Acad Child & Adolesc Psychiatry, 2004, 43f9): l159-ll67．.
- 11. The handbook of the treatment on children emotion and behavior disorder：Pll.
- 12. www.promega.com.
