‘One in 10 young boys has mental disorder’

More than one in 10 primary school boys are suffering from a mental disorder, according to an NHS report. Boys were found to be twice as likely as girls of the same age to suffer such problems, and experts said that “difficult” behaviour in young children could be a sign of emotional distress. The figures from NHS Digital show that 12.2 per cent of boys aged between five and 10 were likely to be suffering from a mental disorder, along with 6.6 per cent of girls.

MORE than one in 10 boys at primary school are being labelled as suffering from a mental disorder, amid growing concerns about their classroom behaviour, research suggests.

An NHS report, which examines the factors which may increase the risk of mental illness, found young boys were twice as likely as girls the same age to suffer such problems.

Experts said that “difficult” behaviour in young children could be a sign of emotional distress that they struggled to talk about.

The figures from NHS Digital show that 12.2 per cent of boys aged between five and 10 were found to be likely to be suffering from a mental disorder, along with 6.6 per cent of girls. Emotional disorders were equally likely in both genders, but behavioural problems which can include autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were twice as common in boys.

The analysis also suggests there are twice as many mental disorders among children from middle income backgrounds, compared with poorer families. And it shows that children living with stepbrothers and stepsisters were more likely to suffer from all types of mental disorders.

The analysis comes from research on more than 9,000 children, including 3,597 aged between five and 10, whose teachers were also quizzed.

After interviews were complete, clinical raters reviewed the data to classify each participant.

Dr Louise Theodosiou, of the child and adolescent faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said it was possible that some disorders were more noticeable in boys, and being missed in girls.

She said: “It is likely that conditions such as ADHD and autistic spectrum conditions are recognised more in younger boys than girls. Girls are more prone to develop an emotional disorder as they grow older and as they become more aware of social pressures. This may explain why there is a levelling out of the rate of mental disorders between boys and girls as they move from primary to secondary school. It may also be that we are not recognising conditions – such as ADHD – in girls and this is adding to the pressures they face.”

Dr Marc Bush, policy director at Youngminds said: “Boys of primary school age are more likely to be identified as having behavioural disorders or hyperactivity disorder than girls – while rates of emotional disorder are higher among girls than boys at an older age.

“The factors behind mental health problems are often complex and multiple, but it’s crucial that all professionals who work with children have a good understanding of how ‘difficult’ behaviour may be linked to emotional distress.

“We need to ensure that both boys and girls with emerging mental health problems can get the support they need, so they can develop skills to form healthy relationships, look after themselves and cope with life’s challenges.”