Early detection of mental health problems: an exhaustive cohort study utilizing the maternal and child health information

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K07542
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 52030:Psychiatry-related
• Research Institution: Shinshu University
• Principal Investigator: Sasayama Daimei 信州大学, 学術研究院医学系, 准教授 (90447764)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 本田 秀夫 信州大学, 医学部, 教授(特定雇用) (20521298)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 児童精神医学 / 母子保健

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Questionnaires were sent to all sixth-grade students and their caregivers in public elementary schools in Okaya City for each of the school years 2021-2023. Responses were collected from 405 children and their caregivers. Of these, we examined the relationship between the mothers' mental status and behavioral characteristics during infancy and childhood, as confirmed by maternal and child health information, and the behavioral characteristics at 6th grade identified in the questionnaire survey for children who had undergone infant and child health checkups in Okaya City. The results revealed that the mothers' postpartum depression and hyperactivity and impulsivity of the child observed at the 3-year-old health checkup were significantly associated with inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity of the child in the sixth grade.

Free Research Field

精神医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

母子保健情報と学校調査結果から、出生時の母親の抑うつ症状や、3歳時の乳幼児健康診査で確認された多動や攻撃的な行動が、小学6年生時のADHD症状に有意に関連していることを明らかにした。母親の抑うつ症状や、健診時の多動や攻撃的な行動が、児のその後の発達を予測する上で重視すべきポイントであることを示した本研究結果は、今後の乳幼児健康診査の精度向上に貢献できると考えられる。