Mental Health of Preschool Children and their Mothers in a Mixed Urban/Rural Population

BACKGROUND: The prevalence rate of behaviour problems and maternal mental disturbance was estimated using a sample of 1047 families with a 3-year-old child from a mixed urban/rural area. METHOD: Parents completed the Child Behaviour Checklist, EAS Temperament Questionnaire, Weiss-Werry-Peters Activity Scale and the GHQ-30. RESULTS: The rate of behaviour problems (13.2%) was similar to that obtained in studies of urban children. The rate of maternal disturbance (27.6%) was lower than in other population samples. Few differences were found in the prevalence rates in the urban and rural areas. CONCLUSIONS: Preschool children and their parents living in non-urban areas had the same rates of problems as those in conurbations. The service needs of such families are similar regardless of locality.