Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health
Volume 13, Issue 1, 2019

Mental health problems of children and adolescents, with and without migration background, living in Vienna, Austria (Article) (Open Access)

Gutmann M.T. , Aysel M. , Özlü-Erkilic Z. , Popow C. , Akkaya-Kalayci T.*
  • a Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, General Hospital Baden-Mödling, Fürstenweg 8, Hinterbrühl, 2371, Austria
  • b Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Zürich, Rämistrasse 71, Zurich, 8006, Switzerland
  • c Outpatient Clin. of Transcultural Psychiat. and Migration-Induced Disord. in Childhood and Adolescence, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, Vienna, 1090, Austria
  • d Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, Vienna, 1090, Austria
  • e Outpatient Clin. of Transcultural Psychiat. and Migration-Induced Disord. in Childhood and Adolescence, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, Vienna, 1090, Austria

Abstract

Background: Compared to their indigenous peers, migrant children and adolescents are at increased risk for mental health problems. The aim of our study was to compare psychological disorders of children and adolescents with Turkish migration background and their native Austrian peers. Methods: We analysed 302 children and adolescents aged between 7 and 18 years. The sample consisted of 100 Austrian and 100 Turkish outpatients with mental health problems, and 102 healthy controls, 52 with Austrian and 50 with Turkish background, recruited from various Viennese local child and youth centres. Results: Native patients had more frequently externalizing problems (42.1%) compared to the Turkish-speaking sample (28%). However, in the control group, Turkish-speaking children and adolescents had higher levels of internalizing, depressive and anxiety symptoms compared to their native peers. Conclusions: We found noticeable differences in psychological problems among children and adolescents with and without migration background. We assume that migration-related stress factors are responsible for these differences. Also, children and adolescents with migration background seek for psychological help less frequently than their indigenous peers. © 2019 The Author(s).

Author Keywords

Children Mental health Migration background Psychological disorders Adolescents Turkish-speaking migrants

Index Keywords

prospective study depression anxiety disorder human sex difference controlled study Turkey (republic) priority journal outpatient care Austria mental disease Adolescent problem behavior male female stress Austrian Turk (people) child psychiatry Article major clinical study adult migration age distribution Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85072213316&doi=10.1186%2fs13034-019-0295-y&partnerID=40&md5=eeec99dd1d77d99fbb679a3728bbf8e8
DOI: 10.1186/s13034-019-0295-y
ISSN: 17532000
Original Language: English