Comorbidities Among Mental Disorders in Preschool Children in the Mercy Pregnancy Emotional Wellbeing Study

Abstract

Background: Comorbidities among mental disorders can have long-term impacts on children’s development and mental health. There is little robust data about the prevalence of comorbidities in preschool-aged children. The aim was to identify the prevalence of comorbidities among mental disorders in a cohort of 3–4-year-old children in Australia. Methods: Women were recruited to the Australian Mercy Pregnancy Emotional Wellbeing Study at <20 weeks’ gestation. Mental disorders were assessed among their children at 3- to 4-years old using the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment (PAPA). Prevalence of comorbidities is reported. Results: Almost half (48%) of the children (n = 545) met criteria for m..