Prevalence of conduct disorder indicators in young children from public primary schools in Masaba South, Kenya

Introduction: Conduct disorder (CD) is a normal psychiatric impairment that often develops in childhood or adolescence and is followed by severe aggressive and antisocial behaviors. 3% of school-going children are affected by CD. Purpose: To examine conduct disorder characteristics in young children. Methods: Both correlation and cross-sectional designs were used. The data was from children. Children were clustered in small groups in two strata in Masaba South according to grades and years. Interview questionnaire schedules and observation checklists were used to find psychological problems and social relations of children. Results: Conduct disorders such as anxiety, depression, aggressiveness, withdrawal, and social problems were prevalent among children. Emotional factors, such as feeling loved, were associated with a decrease in conduct disorder scores, including a 0.6-unit decrease in anxiety or depression (Adjusted β = -0.6, 95% CI [-1.0, -0.1], p = .029) and a 0.4 unit decrease in withdrawal (Adjusted β = -0.4, 95% CI [-0.8, -0.1], p = .011). Additionally, problems with shelter were associated with a 0.4 unit increase in both withdrawn (Adjusted β = 0.4, 95% CI [0.1, 0.8], p = .026) and social problems (Adjusted β = 0.4, 95% CI [0.1, 0.8], p = .026). However, behavior problems were across both grades and were a result of the home and school environment. Conclusions: The study demonstrated the urgent need for comprehensive interventions that address children's material and emotional aspects, promote positive parenting practices, and promote children's well-being in school and at home.