Exploring Sociodemographic, Parental, and Temporal Correlates of Mental Health Disorders in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy: A Clinic-Based Investigation

Background

Mental health disorders in children and adolescents are common and often persist into adulthood. Understanding the influence of sociodemographic, parental, and temporal factors is essential for early detection and targeted prevention. This study aimed to identify such factors among patients of a child and adolescent psychotherapeutic clinic.

Methodology

Data from a child and adolescent psychotherapeutic clinic from 2011 to 2023, from 2023 cases, were analyzed retrospectively. Multivariable logistic regression was applied to investigate the independent associations of sociodemographic factors, parental variables, and temporal factors on specific diagnostic categories.

Results

Female patients showed elevated odds of mood and neurotic disorders but reduced odds of disorders of psychological development and childhood-onset behavioral and emotional disorders. Increasing age was associated with increases in odds of substance use disorders, schizophrenia, affective, and neurotic disorders, but decreases in disorders of psychological development and childhood-onset behavioral and emotional disorders. Maternal employment and paternal education appeared protective. Living apart from biological parents was associated with higher odds of neurotic, stress-related, and somatoform disorders. The pandemic was linked to rising affective and physiological diagnoses, and neurotic disorders as well as behavioral and emotional disorders with onset usually occurring in childhood and adolescence declined.

Conclusions

Several sociodemographic, parental, and temporal factors are associated with mental health disorders in children and adolescents. These insights are vital for tailoring prevention, diagnosis, and intervention strategies and can inform psychiatric nurses and mental health professionals across clinical and policy settings.