A POPULATION-BASED ANALYSIS OF BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS IN CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL-PALSY

Used the National Health Interview Survey, Child Health Supplement for 1981 and 1988, to analyze parent-reported behavior problems of childr en, ages 4-17 years, with cerebral palsy (n = 47), with mental retarda tion (n = 50), with other chronic conditions (n = 6,038), and with no known health problem (n = 5,930), using the Behavior Problem Index (de veloped by Zill & Peterson). Behaviors with scores greater than the 90 th percentile of the entire sample were considered problem behaviors. Parent-reported behavior problems were 5 times more likely in children with cerebral palsy (25.5%) compared with children having no known he alth problem (5.4%). The adjusted odds ratio for behavior problems of children with cerebral palsy without mental retardation was 4.9 and of children with mental retardation without cerebral palsy was 7.9. Spec ific behaviors that were most problematic for children with cerebral p alsy were identified as dependency, headstrong, and hyperactive.