http://cogprints.org/4207/
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Around The World: Challenges for Progress
Child and adolescent mental health is an essential component of overall health and its
importance is gaining increased recognition. Current events have heightened an interest
in the mental health of youth. Unfortunately, too often this is due to concerns about the
mental health consequences of war, prolonged conflict, natural disasters, AIDS, and
substance abuse. Special populations of repatriated child soldiers and street children are a
vivid reminder of the many children who have been deprived of an environment that
could support healthy development. Further, there is an increased understanding that
children who are not mentally healthy can have an adverse impact on the stability and
economic viability of nations. Of particular importance throughout the world is the fact
that positive mental health plays a role in supporting compliance and adherence to a
broad spectrum of health regimens.
Yet, the almost universally expressed recognition of the importance for societies, as well
as for the individual, to have children and adolescents attain adulthood with good mental
health has not brought forth the economic and human resources necessary to meet the
observable need. The reasons for this gap are several and include the world’s ambivalent
view of the worth of children in societies, the view of children as family property to be
used for work, a lack of comprehension that children have a mental life, and a failure to
understand developmental psychopathology (WHO, 2003). It is only now with progress
being made in the eradication of infectious diseases and the improvement of nutritional
status, and improved health education in many locales that it may become possible for
societies to consider the mental health of children as a priority issue.
Belfer, Myron L
Journal of Indian Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Myron L
Belfer