APRIL 2008 DELHI PSYCHIATRY JOURNAL Vol. 11 No.

Original Article
Child and Behaviour: A School Based Study
Jyoti Prakash, A.K. Mitra, H.R.A. Prabhu
Department of Psychiatry, Military Hospital, Pathankot &
Department of Psychiatry, Base Hospital, Delhi Cantt., Delhi

Abstract
Background: Behaviour problems in children are on the rise. Available literature speaks
of variability and inadequacies of diagnostic methods, research criteria, treatment modalities
and psychosocial interventions. Methods: 50 children of age 6-14 years attending
government school were assessed for behaviour problems. Children were selected after
appropriate randomization and subsequently assigned to Child behaviour checklist. The
data thus collected was suitably interpreted using appropriate statistical tests. Results:
Twenty-one (42%) children were found to be above the cut-off score. Mean CBCL score
was 43.3. Most common behaviour problems in these subjects were can not sit still,
restless, hyperactive shown by 62% of the subjects. Female children had behaviour
problems like too concerned with neatness or cleanliness, self conscious or easily
embarrassed and feels she has to be perfect where as male children had behaviour
problems like. does not feel guilty after misbehaving, can not concentrate and restless.
Conclusion: The analysis of pattern of distribution of behaviour problems in the subjects
revealed them to be more of externalizing ones. Female children had more of internalizing
behaviour problems.
Key words- school children, behaviour problems, Child behaviour checklist

Introduction research cr iteria, treatment modalities and

In the present era where everyday we are
stepping ahead to technological advancement, with
the increasing pressure in children to achieve,
breaking up of the families and rapidly changing
sociocultural paradigm, rise in the behaviour
problems in children are also similarly steep and
disrupting. Reviews of the study done in this field
reveal that the prevalence of behaviour problems
in children is alarmingly high. Diverse method of
data collection and equally diverse method of
diagnosis generated these rates. School being an
important catchment area for pediatric population;
these data are also similarly worthwhile looking
into. Review of recent studies concentrating on
mental health problems amongst school going
children showed the prevalence figures varying
from 6.33% to 43.1% in Indian context (1-6).
International context showed similar variability. (7-
10) The available literature also speaks of
variability and inadequacies of diagnostic methods,
Delhi Psychiatry Journal 2008; 11:(1) Delhi Psychiatric Society
psychosocial interventions.
India, a developing country has large popula-
tion, of whom significant proportions are children
attending school. Behavioural problems and
psychiatric syndromes in the children are a matter
of concern as the consequences can seriously impair
their ability to become useful & productive citizens
of tomorrow .The vulnerability of the child tends
to increase when effective parenting is not available.
This study was planned with the aim to assess
the prevalence of behavioural problems among
school going children. The research findings will
help in determining the prevalence, associated
factors and predictors that are useful in early
diagnosis and management.
Material and method
50 students of age 6-14 years fr om a
government school were selected after appropriate
randomization after due consent. The subjects were
then assigned to Child behaviour checklist (CBCL)
79
DELHI PSYCHIATRY JOURNAL Vol. 11 No.1
which was filled appropriately by the parents (11).
This checklist (CBCL) developed by Achenbach is
a family of self rated instruments that surveys a
broad range of difficulties encountered in children
from preschool age through adolescence. It is a
multiaxial scale normed by age and gender. Various
versions of CBCL were designed to obtain similar
types of data in a similar format from parents,
teachers and youth. Parents version of CBCL was
used in this study. The cut off scores as given by
Achenbach was used in this study. (Table 1) The
resultant data was statistically analyzed using
appropriate test.
Results
Twenty-one (42%) children were found to be
above the cut-off score. (Table-2). Mean CBCL
score was 43.3 (SD+ 27.17). (Table-3). Of the fifty
children studied thirty-six children (72%) were from
the Armed forces background. Four (8%) out of
the total 50 children were officers children. Mean
age of the study population was 9.9 years (SD+ 2.69
years). Male to female ratio was 1:1. Mean income
of the parents was Rs 6130 (SD+ Rs 3627.85).
There was no significant difference in the
prevalence of behaviour problems between age
group 6-11 years and 12-14 years.(Table-4) Sex-
wise distribution showed no significant difference
in prevalence of behaviour problems.(Table-5)
Behaviour problems also did not differ significantly
on income wise distribution of the parents.(Table-
6)
Table 1: Cut off Score of Child Behaviour
Check list by Achenbach
Age Girls Boys
4-5 years 42 42
6-11 years 37 40
12-16 years 37 38
Table 2: Prevalence rate of behaviour problem
of the subjects
Sample Above cut-off Below cut-off
score score
Pediatric 21 (42%) 29 (58%)
OPD
N -50
80 Delhi Psychiatry Journal 2008; 11:(1) Delhi Psychiatric Society
APRIL 2008
Most common behaviour problems in these
subjects were can not sit still, restless, hyperactive
shown by 62% of the subjects. (Table-7) Other
common problems were too concerned with
neatness or cleanliness(60%) and demands lot of
attention(56%). Female children had behaviour
problems like too concerned with neatness or
cleanliness, self conscious or easily embarrassed
and feels she has to be perfect where as male
children had behaviour problems like. does not feel
guilty after misbehaving, can not concentrate and
restless. (Table-8)
Discussion
Twenty-one (42%) children were found to be
above cut-off score. This was higher than many
other studies however similar to study by Vardhini
(6) . There was no statistically significant difference
in the behaviour problems between age group 6-11
years and 12-14 years, which did not corroborate
with the research findings of Liu. (10) Sex-wise
distribution showed no significant difference in
behaviour, which was not in consonance to findings
by few researchers (4). Mean CBCL score of 43.3
was similar to findings by Jyoti et al (12). Income-
wise profile also did not bring out any specific trend.
The analysis of pattern of distribution of
behaviour problems in the subjects revealed them
to be more of externalizing ones. This goes along
with findings by Shenoy et al (4) as well as Molin
and his colleagues (9). Female children had more
of internalizing behaviour problems where as male
Table 3: Mean CBCL scores of the subjects
Sample Mean CBCL score S.D.
School 43.3 27.17
subjects
Table 4 : Relation of CBCL scores to age of the
subjects
Income Above cut Below cut Total
off score off score
6-11 years 17(50%) 17(50%) 34
12-14 years 4(25%) 12(75%) 16
Total 21 29 50
Yates Continuity Correction = 1.912 DF = 1 P= 0.167 (NS)
APRIL 2008 DELHI PSYCHIATRY JOURNAL Vol. 11 No.1

Table 5 : Relation of CBCL scores to gender of Table 7: Common behaviour problems in

the subjects school subjects
Income Above cut Below cut Total Most common 2nd most 3rd most
off score off score common common

Male 12 (48%) 13 (52%) 25 Cant sit still, Too concerned Demands lot
Female 9 (36%) 16 (64%) 25 restless, with neatness of attention
hyperactive or cleanliness 28 (56%)
Total 21 29 50 31 (62%) 30 (60%)
X2 = 0.739 DF = 1 P= 0.390 (NS)
Table 8: Sex wise distribution of common
Table 6 : Relation of CBCL scores to income of behaviour problems
the parents
Sex Most 2nd most 3rd most
Income Above cut Below cut Total common common common
off score off score
Male 25 Doesnt Cant Restless
seem concentrate 16 (64%)
Upto Rs 4000 5 (41.7%) 7 (58.3%) 12
guilty 17 (68%)
Rs 4000 to 9 (39.1%) 14 (60.9%) 23
after
Rs 6000
misbeha-
>Rs 6000 7 (46.7%) 8 (53.3%) 15
ving
18 (72%)
Total 21 29 50
Female 25 Too con- Self Feels she has
X2 = 0.212 DF = 2 P= 0.89 (NS)
cerned conscious to be perfect
patients had more of externalizing problems. This with or easily 15 (60%)
again is in keeping with findings by other neatness embarra-
or clean- ssed
researchers. (4, 9) Behaviour problems profile in
liness 16 (64%)
male population was similar to findings by Shenoy
20 (80%)
et al (4).
Limitation of this study
4. Shenoy J, Kapur M, Kaliaperumal VG.
Lower sample size would have affected the Psychological disturbance among 5- to 8-year-
conclusion in some manner or the other. Study needs old school children: a study from India. Soc
to be further validated with more researches at a Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 1998 Feb;
larger magnitude on a longitudinal perspective. We 33(2) : 66-73.
authors are already working on it. 5. Savita Malhotra, Priti Arun, Adarsh Kohli.
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