Child behavioral problems: comparative follow-up study two decades – sociocultural comments

Chinese school-aged children in urban areas of Beijing, China were surveyed in 1985, 1993, and 2003 consecutively regarding their behavioral problems. The instrument of the Rutter Scale for children’s behavior problems was used, so that the obtained data can be compared over the time. The results revealed that total behavioral problems increased remarkably over the 18-year period of time for both genders. By further analysis, it was found that externalizing behavior problems (namely antisocial behavior) was higher for boys than girls in general. Yet, for boys, externalizing behavior problems were gradually decreasing in terms of time, while that for girls was gradually increasing. Therefore, the gap between them was becoming less over time. Regarding internalizing behavior problems (namely neurotic behavior), it was obviously increasing for both boys and girls over time. The possible socio-cultural and family impact on the vicissitude of mental health of children was elaborated.