PSYCHOSOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN AND INTERVENTION ADOPTED BY THEIR MOTHERS

Abstract

Preschool period represents a sensitive and critical period to the behavior and mental development of the children, as children develop with great speed and constantly changing mental, social and emotional abilities. During this time, children's mental and affectional needs are every bit as important as more obvious needs for food, water and physical protection. If these needs are not satisfied in early childhood, psychosocial and behavioral problems can arise. These problems must be managed properly at this time as many of the psychosocial and behavioral problems diagnosed in adulthood find their roots in the experience of childhood.

The present study aimed at assessing the psychosocial and I behavioral problems of preschool children and identifying the coping I strategies adopted by their mothers to manage them. The study was I I carried out on a sample of 100 (three-six years) preschool children I identified by their caregivers as having psychosocial or behavioral problem from ten daycare centers affiliated to the ministry of social affairs in Alexandria. Modified Behare 's observational checklist using some criteria from DSM IV classification was used to observe the children and assess the presence of problems. It was applied first on 50 normal children to test its validity and reliability. Each . child was observed three consecutive times from nine Am to one Pm. In addition, an interview questionnaire was developed to collect the needed data from the childrens' mothers. The study was performed over a period of six months starting from January 2002 and ending by July.