Research
Youth and caregiver reports of mental health issues differ, but both perspectives needed
The Brief
- Psychiatric assessments of children and adolescents commonly combine reports from young people and their caregivers.
- The two perspectives may identify substantially different mental health problems.
- These differences could affect diagnosis, treatment planning and estimates of psychiatric prevalence.
Why it matters
Clinicians and researchers who rely on only one informant may miss or misjudge a child's mental health problems, so using both perspectives may give a more accurate picture.
Who’s affected
- child and adolescent psychiatrists and clinicians
- researchers estimating child mental health prevalence
- parents and caregivers of children undergoing psychiatric assessment
- #child mental health
- #adolescent psychiatry
- #diagnosis
- #caregivers
- #psychiatric assessment
Psychiatric assessments of children and adolescents commonly incorporate reports from both youth and their caregivers. However, they may identify substantially different mental health problems, potentially influencing diagnosis, treatment planning and estimates of psychiatric…