Psychiatric disorders and impairment in the children of opiate addicts: Prevalances and distribution by ethnicity

This study examined rates of psychiatric disorders and impairment in 283 ch ildren, aged 6 to 17, of 69 Caucasian, 45 African-American, and 47 Hispanic -American methadone maintenance patients. Children were evaluated by direct and/or parental interview with the K-SADS-E. Final DSM-III-R diagnoses and Global Assessment Scale (C-GAS) were assigned by best estimate. Substantia l lifetime prevalences of mood (21%), anxiety (24%) and disruptive disorder s (30%), school problems (37%), and global impairment (C-GAS < 61) (25%) we re observed in the children of opiate-dependent patients. There were few di fferences between ethnic groups. Effects of proband gender and major depres sion and their interactions with ethnicity on risk for childhood psychopath ology were also examined. The results suggest children of patients in treat ment for opiate dependence from diverse ethnic groups are at risk for psych opathology. Programs for early detection and intervention should be devised and evaluated.