Time trends in child and adolescent mental disorders.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing epidemiological trend studies without systematic search or meta-analytic pooling
PubMed 16639129 · doi:10.1097/01.yco.0000172055.25284.f2
What was done
This narrative review summarizes findings on secular time trends in child and adolescent mental health indicators—including autism spectrum disorders, hyperactivity/attention deficits, conduct problems, substance use, suicide, self-harm, emotional disorders, and anorexia nervosa—updating a 1995 review focused on industrialized countries.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical data, prevalence rates, or effect sizes. It reports qualitative directional findings: prevalence estimates for autism spectrum disorders have increased alongside greater awareness of hyperactivity and attention deficits; suicide rates among young males and self-harm rates among young females have risen in many countries; trends in conduct problems and substance use appear culture-specific; emotional disorder trends are mixed; and there is little evidence of an increase in anorexia nervosa.
Why it matters
Tracking epidemiological patterns in youth mental disorders provides critical insights for healthcare resource allocation and service planning while identifying potential targets for risk factor research.
Limits
The abstract provides no sample sizes, search strategy, or quantitative metrics. Distinguishing true secular increases from changes in diagnostic practices, reporting behaviors, and public awareness remains a primary methodological challenge in these trend data.