Annual Report to Congress on the Evaluation of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services Program for Children and Their Families

Child Risk Factors

Risk factors are events that occur at the child, family, and environment levels that increase the probability of diagnosis or the severity of a serious emotional disturbance (e.g., physical abuse, sexual abuse, family violence, and drug-alcohol abuse; family history of mental illness, violence or drug-alcohol abuse). Risk factors in this evaluation were assessed independent of each other so that percentages do not total to 100 percent.

The Majority of Children Had Been Exposed to at Least One Risk Factor

Of the responding families, 59 percent reported that their child had at least one risk factor for serious emotional disturbance. The most frequently reported child risk factors included history of physical abuse (33 percent); previous psychiatric hospitalization (25 percent); history of running away (24 percent); and sexual abuse (24 percent) (see Figures ES-14 and ES-15).

Multiple Risk Factors Were Related to Poorer Functioning

Children with more risk factors were more likely to have more problem behaviors and poorer functioning (see Figure ES-16).

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